EXCLUSIVE: Colombian prisoners strain D.C. Jail

mariacvetanoski says on Jul 3, 2009, 01:47:

laptop belonging to Mr. Tovar-Pupo seized by investigators contained details of more than 550 killings and showed evidence of links between paramilitaries and Colombian politicians. An October 2006 Reuters news agency article said the laptop also contained e-mails showing the commander "ordering his men to recruit peasants to act as paramilitaries during demobilization ceremonies, a trick that allowed him to keep his real fighters active while appearing to comply [with] the peace deal."

Mr. Tovar-Pupo also was mentioned in a federal lawsuit against an Alabama-based coal company, who relatives of slain Colombians say paid him and a wing of the AUC millions of dollars to assassinate union leaders and protect the company's coal mine and railroad in the country, according to the Associated Press.

c Juan Carlos Sierra-Ramirez: Faced with charges similar to Mr. Mancuso-Gomezs, he also was an AUC member and "organized large shipments of cocaine for the AUC that [were] intended for importation into Central America using freighters, speed boats and other maritime vessels," court documents state.

Mr. Brown said in his June court filing that his department also learned in March that it had a "substantial number" of extradited inmates who may have been underclassified in terms of their security risk - including prisoners from Afghanistan, Colombia, Haiti and the Netherlands.

The roughly half-dozen Colombian inmates at the center of one of the city's disputes have been housed in the District's Correctional Treatment Facility (CTF), which is designed to hold prisoners designated as lower security risks. But city corrections officials redesignated the group as maximum-security detainees and asked a federal judge to move them back to the D.C. Jail.

A trail of documents filed in the case shows that attorneys for the inmates requested the move to CTF for reasons that include allowing their clients greater access to a law library, a laptop computer in order to view discovery materials and better medical care. The attorneys also said the defendants should be at CTF because there were a greater number of native Colombians housed there.

In June, defense lawyers argued that their clients should be housed in CTF and noted that their case does not involve violence and is a drug conspiracy. They also said a Justice Department report provided to corrections officials said the defendants have no purported ties to terrorist organizations.

"Again, according to the DOJ report provided to DOC, these defendants have no alleged ties to terrorist organizations," the lawyers said. "There is no other international crime organization referenced anywhere in their institutional files or the indictment."

Joanne D. Slaight, an attorney representing one of the inmates, said the Colombians have been "model inmates" at the correctional facilities.

"I don't think they warrant being brought up to the United States in the first place," she said. "The security issues, I think, for most of these people, they're completely false, if not [for] all."

But a December memo filed by the Department of Justice notes that Maria Amato, general counsel for the city Department of Corrections, said a recent upsurge of Colombian inmates seeking transfer to the lower-security facility is thought to be tied to the inmates desire "to commingle with their Colombian affiliates and to have contact visits for the passing of contraband."

Save the street children of Colombia Now!!

0 funny, 0 helpful.

makopp5 (☼Travelguide writer) says on Jul 3, 2009, 08:14:

makopp5 (☼Travelguide writer) says on Jul 3, 2009, 08:29:

makopp5 (☼Travelguide writer) says on Jul 3, 2009, 10:18:

quantum says on Jul 3, 2009, 20:27:

Azuno, tell me how it is that u are still feeling so free in a country where just about everything is against the law, and every cash transaction over $10,000 has to be reported to the I.R.S. where banks are being incharged with scrutinizing their customers. Banks are now like govt. watch dogs......the major media is controlled by a handful of cooperating corporations, and we all have to pass thru the gauntlet of TSA, comprised of a bunch of otherwise unemployable ex-cons, and our passports, (which we didnt even used to need to travel) have radio identification chips in them(microwaves work for that). Tell me old buddy, how does all this and more still manage to equate to the "land of the free and the home of the brave". I wish it were so............but reality calls! And our English challenged friend from Germany or Kazachstan or whereever makes an important point. We are the only country to ever use atomic weapons, and history shows pretty clearly that it wasnt even necessary. The sadists simply wanted to use the new force that they had invested so much time and $ in. They wanted to witness the havoc that it would wreac.......I dont work for theze assholes anymore.......not since learning better anyway!

quantum

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Rocco81 says on Jul 9, 2009, 11:03:

DC city Jail is a real piece of work. It is the dirtiest,blackest most filth ridden place on the East Coast. In DC its a Federal district, so they ship off all the long term offenders (once convicted) to other Federal Penetentiaries across the Nation. But before they are sent to trial they might sit In DC jail for years. You also have guys there doing only a few years and out.

This is really bad because you have rapists, crack heads, murdereres and molesters awaiting trial all in the same cells with guys who maybe just got a month for wreckless driving or some othre BS. They should send them to other areas where atleast they can communicate with other Spanish speakers. The DC jail is 99% American black.

Buena Suerte amigos.

Sic semper tyrannis

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Rocco81 says on Jul 10, 2009, 11:48:

That is right Jeff...but also the District is about 75% black. North West and a few other parts are the only places you'de want to live.

Sic semper tyrannis

0 funny, 0 helpful.

quantum says on Jul 11, 2009, 15:28:

Azu, interesting! So u made money on the over $10 g's cash transaction and u are in favor of the post 911 inspired TSA and think its cool to hire agro thugs to intimidate the general population. So tell me hombre, u really think the once proud land of the free, home of the brave is still on track? Do u still think we are the worlds last best hope?

quantum

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Rocco81 says on Jul 12, 2009, 22:35:

Yeah Jeff that area you mention is all Virginia.

I live on the Virginia side as well. Its as much to do in VA without all the DC trendy crowd or ghetto dwellers.

Sic semper tyrannis

0 funny, 0 helpful.