I
Portland Observer Thursday. April 22. 1977 Page 3
From behind the wall
readers as well as the Black and white
communities in the State of Oregon that
the freedom of speech and the freedom of
the press is definately one of the strong
est rights that the United State's Conati
tution has to protect.
E
by Lorry
O.8.P. Iamatoa Looe a Friend
Dennis Lee Kniss, 32, who's step
brother. a Grant High youth was fatally
stabbed only two days prior, was found
dead in his prison cell last week. The
death, claims a Salem pathologist, was
due to an overdose of drugs.
Kniss, who had spent the lairt nine
years in prison for armed robbery, was
well liked by many of the prisoners
throughout the whole prison's population.
Kniss volunteered many of his prison
leisure hours to helping inmates in
psychiatric security unit who were hav
ing trouble adjusting to life behind bars.
When informed of Dennis’ tragic death,
inmates quickly began to raise a fund out
of their nickles, dimes and dollars to send
to his family, who live in NE. Portland.
The contributions are to help pay for a
decent funeral for a man respected.
It is with the deepest sympathy to the
mother, father and family, the men at
O.SP. sends to them. This Reporter,
whose cell was but a few cells away from
Dennis can give nothing but praise to a
man who treated him as a friend. It
would be almost unbearable for any
mother to lose two sons in s period of a
couple of days. May God bless her. Yes,
Dennis Kniss will be remembered by
many people around here.
First-This Reporter would like to
acknowledge the tremendous amount of
mail received and appreciate the many
comments made of approval throughout
the prior five weeks from you, the Public,
of the publication articles, “From Behind
The Walls'*. It is with this support that
“From Behind The Walls", can become a
column of valuable information being
collected each week. A special thanks
goes to the many prisoners here at the
Oregon State Penitentary. who volun
teered their efforts in contributing their
suggestions on what topics to be* consid
ered, who's doing what, where? and
when?
Another thanks goes to the administra
tion of the Department of Corrections for
net in te r fe r in g , apprehending, or
reprimanding this Reporter in any
manner for publication of “From Behind
the Walls”, which expresses openly many
subject's and events of interest to the men
and women who are behind the walls,
bars and gun towers. It is with great
hope that this form of communication
may enlighten all Portland Observer’s
Let this Reporter 'make this perfectly
clear* that the opinions expressed of this
writer on “Behind the Walls' are strictly
his own and do not necessarily reflect the
opinion of the Portland Observer. This
Reporter can only write it as he sees it
happen, but the main interest of “Behind
the Walls” is to open a communicational
avenue that has been closed for years, so
that our taxpayers in Oregon can grasp a
better understanding of what prison life
is all about right from the prisoners
themselves. Plus, that the individuals
accomplishments and needs may be
known before their return to their
respective communities, and they will
come to know the many services, sug
gestions and advice our Portland Observ
er readers have, to help getting that
individual off on the right foot as he or
she pays their debt to society, so that
they may not have to be recycled back
through the teeth of the Criminal Justice
system and that the population of our
prisons and institutions can start decreas
ing again. It is clearly recognized that
the public expects a miracle on rehabilita
tion to be produced by our Oregon courts,
prisons, and parole board, with a mere
drop in the bucket in state funding,
making it virtually impossible for many of
the individuals behind the walls to
receive certain needed services with the
overcrowding of this prison.
Naturally the ‘protection of society' is
the first course on the menu, but also our
state prisons and institutions are not to
become a human warehouse of flesh, nor
a breeding ground for future production
of angry animals ready to spring out in
revenge upon release. If the President of
the United States can call out for
humanity throughout the world, then his
own house must be in perfect order to set
the example.
Last week a state representative took
his first step at the Oregon State
Penitentary. Surrounded by 16 Black
prisoners, a white, middle aged, contro
versial man, who's office is only a few
blocks away from the main gates of
O.S.P., in the State Office Building here
in Salem, sat listening to constructive
grievances and problems which drove
them behind these walls.
State Representative Wally Priestley
met with the 16 Blacks who represented
over 300 other Black inmates of the
population at O.S.P. The main topics
were as follows:
1. How to decrease the Black population
in Oregon's prisons, it being a noted fact
that a large percentage of the Black
population was out of his district in
Portland.
2. Searching lor avenues of social services
that will better serve the inmate, than
just a prison ceil...such as good drug and
alcoholic as well as counselling programs
that relate to Black people.
3. A committee of business individuals in
the Albina community to serve on a panel
to meet here at O.S.P. once a month, to
work with a committee of Black inmates
on short and long term goals that would
decrease the recent exploitation of Blacks
passing through our courts.
4. More legal service and help in courts,
Blacks are getting to no longer trust the
attorneys who represent them in the
Public Defenders office in Portland.
5. Black representation as far as counsel
ors and liason people.
6. No discrimination in medical care at
O.S.P.
7. The strip-searching, without a warrant
to search, of families and friends who
visit Black inmates must be discontinued.
This Reporter is in full agreement with
a committee, made up of inmates and
business representatives, which can meet
once a month. These people are to be
from Albina. They can attempt to iron
out the problems of prison increases of
Black inmates and increases in crime in
the Black community. I am sure that the
Department of Corrections would be very
interested in the work that these mem
bers can do in a search to alleviate these
problems as they pertain to Black in
mates and their return to the community.
Perhaps if the program and planning is
successful, it may set a precedent for
others to follow. We must try something.
Respect is earned by hard work and
leadership in the community of not only
the free world, but the prison community.
It is time that we ourselves commanded
this respect.
Representative Priestley promised the
Black committee representatives that he
would definately look into their requests,
grievences, and suggestions and report
on his findings to this Black committee.
Book explores King murder, FBI involvement
Dr. Martin Luther King. Jr., the
greatest civil rights protagonist in
modern American history, was murdered
on April 4, 1968. James Earl Ray was
arrested, charged and pleaded guilty to
the crime.
In the nine years since the brutal
assassination, new and profoundly
disturbing evidence has come to light -
evidence that poses frightening questions
about the murder, and subsequent inves
tigation.
In Cede Name “Zorre": The Murder of
Martin Luther King. Jr., Mark Lane and
Dick Gregory supply you - perhaps the
only jury that will ever consider the
evidence - with the same explosive
information that prompted Congress in
September of 1976 to form a special
committee to investigate the murder of
Dr. King.
few eyewitnesses in the case, illegally
Mark Lane and Dick Gregory recon taken from her home by Memphis author
struct the events proceeding the murder ities and placed in a mental institution?
of Dr. King and offer a step-by-step
The official investigation into the
analysis of the crime and its chilling murder of Dr. King was far from satis
aftermath. Their findings raise many factory. Why has no one pursued the
unanswered questions: What unusual mysterious Raoul, perhaps the key to
circumstances led Dr. King to Memphis many of the unanswered questions
and the Lorraine Motel? Why was the surrounding the assassination? And why
ten man security force assigned to Dr. did the Justice Department assign the
King by the Memphis Police Department same FBI squad to investigate the
suddenly stripped to two? Why was Ed murder of Dr. King (whom they code
Redditt, one of the remaining two Mem named “Zorro“) that J. Edgar Hoover had
phis Police Officers, mysteriously re previoiusly selected to “destroy” Dr.
moved from the murder scene shortly King?
Veteran FBI agent Arthur
before the fatal shot? Why were two Murtaugh recalled that during a brief
potential eyewitnesses. Black firemen conversation he had with an FBI agent in
Newsum and Wallace, detailed to other Atlanta the day King was shot, “We
fire stations on the day of the murder? heard the announcement that King was
And, why was Grace Stephens, one of the shot...this agent jumped for joy, literally
leaped in the air, yelling, They got Zorro!
They got the son of a bitch. I hope he
dies.*" This agent was a member of that
squad!
Did James Earl Ray really murder
Martin Luther King, Jr.?
Was the
assassination part of a far-reaching
conspiracy?
From an extraordinary
assemblage of evidence, documents and
exclusive taped interviews (including
hours of in-depth interviews with James
Earl Ray) Lane and Gregory move
inexorably towards a singular and grim
conclusion.
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Mark Lane is director of the Washing
ton, DC. based Citizens Committee o'
Inquiry, an organization committed to
urging Congress to investigate the
murders of both Dr. Martin Luther King,
Jr., and John F. Kennedy. Lane is a
member of the bar of the State of New
York, a former member of the New York
State Legislature a.id the author of six
books, including the »1 Bestseller, Rush
to Judgment. Lane was founder of the
Wounded Knee Legal Defense/Offense
Committee and he was the only critic of
the Warren Commission who conducted
an independent investigation of the
murder of John Kennedy and who testi
fied before the Warren Commission.
Dick Gregory is a Black comedian, civil
rights worker, and political activiat. He
has run for the presidency of the USA to
dramatize the issues of the day. He was
Dr. King's friend and co-worker in the
civil rights crusade of the 1960’s. Mr.
Gregory lectures throughout the country,
and he is the author of such bestselling
books as A Voice From the Back of the
Bus; Nigger; and Up From Nigger.
“LET THE CONGRESS ACT.
LET THE TRUTH BE KNOWN?
SERVING ALL OF PORTLAND
7 DAYS A WEEK, 24 HOURS A DAY
Jiffy Drain Service e f Oregon
AmeriCard
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286-2890
In 1866 the U.S. Post Office
guaranteed free mail delivery
to ell cities with a minimum
population of 60,000!
extended
The Portland Board of Education has
extended the deadline for submitting
Area Advisory Committee petitions by
two weeks. The original deadline of April
15 has been extended to April 29.
Thirteen adult positions become vacant
June 30, 1977,
Area Advisory Committees advise the
Area Superintendents on the educational
program, building needs, educational
goals, citizen involvement in school activ
ities, preparation of the Area's proposed
budget and other matters relating to the
operation of the Area schools.
Citizens interested in applying for
Area Advisory Committee positions may
still obtain applications through the
Public Information Office, Portland
Public Schools, 631 N.E. Clackamas St.,
Portland, 97232, the three Area Offices of
the School District, local schools and
Neighborhood Association offices.
Petitions are to be filed in the Public
Information Office by 5:00 p.m„ Friday,
April 29, 1977.
Grandparents
welcome
Wednesday, April 27th has been pro
claimed “Grandparents Day" by Portland
Public Schools. Sabin Elementary School
at 4013 N.E. 18th Avenue, will welcome
Senior Citizens and all retired people to
be guests at a special program which will
start with morning coffee at 10 a.m. and
include entertainment, free lunch and a
tour of the building. Please call Sabin
School at 288-6538 for lunch reservations.
DR. JEFFREY BRADY Soys:
Do Not Pot O ff Needed Dental Care”
Enjoy Dental Health Now and
Improve Your Appearance
Come In At
Your Convenience
Open Saturday Morning
No Appointment Needed
Complete Cooperation
On All Dental
Insurance Plans
•
Complete Dental Services
Union or Company Dental Insurance
Coverage Accepted On Your
Needed Dentistry
Park Free - Any Park 'n "hop Lot
HOURS: W eekdays8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sat., 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
I. JEFFREY BRADY, DENTIST
SEMLER BUILDING
S W. 3rd & Morrison St. Portland, Oregon
Take Elevator to 2nd Floor 3rd St. Entrance
Phone: 228-7545
75th Anniversary
savings.
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