Free Tamon, Support Regina
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Regina Russell is a proud leader in SEIU Local 73 and co-chair of the Labor Committee of the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression. At the age of 19, Regina's beloved son was tortured by Chicago police officers into confessing to a crime he did not commit.
When Tamon was arrested, Chicago police ignored statements from Regina and his sister which proved he was home at the time of the crime of which he was accused. There is no physical evidence linking Tamon to the crime. When Tamon asked why he was being arrested, the detective punched him in the face. Tamon was held for 19 hours without access to a restroom. Detectives refused Tamon the right to speak to an attorney. The senior officer who signed the charges against Tamon, Raymond Madigan, was one of the Jon Burge gang of cops . Madigan took the 5th to not incriminate himself in torture cases, and was named in lawsuits totaling over $13 million in settlements . Over the years, two witnesses have come forward and made statements that Tamon was not the shooter. Tamon has filed a Post-Conviction Relief petition but his petitions have repeatedly been denied.
Now that there is more and more awareness about police violence, we are hoping that the opportunity will rise for Regina and Tamon to finally achieve justice and for Tamon to finally come home where he belongs. We need to help Regina raise funds to secure an attorney who will appeal the denials of Tamon's petitions and get him an evidentiary hearing.
Ending police violence means supporting the people centrally targeted and now is our chance to help Regina raise $10,000 to cover the fees to hire an appellate lawyer.
Let us rise to the occasion by helping Regina who for the past 19 years has spent every living breath fighting for her son’s release. All along, Regina has been working in collective movements working to end police violence along with many mother-survivors like her, fighting for the release of their beloved incarcerated Black and Brown children. Regina always says she is not only in the struggle for Tamon, but for all survivors of police violence and the violence of the prison industrial complex in all of its forms. Whether its family members and loved ones on the outside, those who have been released and continue to seek justice, and those who remain behind bars, Regina believes no human being should be entrapped by a system that prioritizes profit over people—especially working class Black and Brown people of color.
When Tamon was arrested, Chicago police ignored statements from Regina and his sister which proved he was home at the time of the crime of which he was accused. There is no physical evidence linking Tamon to the crime. When Tamon asked why he was being arrested, the detective punched him in the face. Tamon was held for 19 hours without access to a restroom. Detectives refused Tamon the right to speak to an attorney. The senior officer who signed the charges against Tamon, Raymond Madigan, was one of the Jon Burge gang of cops . Madigan took the 5th to not incriminate himself in torture cases, and was named in lawsuits totaling over $13 million in settlements . Over the years, two witnesses have come forward and made statements that Tamon was not the shooter. Tamon has filed a Post-Conviction Relief petition but his petitions have repeatedly been denied.
Now that there is more and more awareness about police violence, we are hoping that the opportunity will rise for Regina and Tamon to finally achieve justice and for Tamon to finally come home where he belongs. We need to help Regina raise funds to secure an attorney who will appeal the denials of Tamon's petitions and get him an evidentiary hearing.
Ending police violence means supporting the people centrally targeted and now is our chance to help Regina raise $10,000 to cover the fees to hire an appellate lawyer.
Let us rise to the occasion by helping Regina who for the past 19 years has spent every living breath fighting for her son’s release. All along, Regina has been working in collective movements working to end police violence along with many mother-survivors like her, fighting for the release of their beloved incarcerated Black and Brown children. Regina always says she is not only in the struggle for Tamon, but for all survivors of police violence and the violence of the prison industrial complex in all of its forms. Whether its family members and loved ones on the outside, those who have been released and continue to seek justice, and those who remain behind bars, Regina believes no human being should be entrapped by a system that prioritizes profit over people—especially working class Black and Brown people of color.
In an Opinion Piece for Truthout this past Mother’s Day, Regina wrote that having a son in prison has been one of the most frightening and terrifying experiences of her life:
"There is nothing more traumatic than knowing that your child is sitting in a cold cell, openly threatened with the possibility of contracting the new coronavirus. ... My plan is to continue resisting and struggling on behalf of Tamon. In the midst of the pandemic, I feel more motivated to act because of the virus-related dangers faced by our incarcerated loved ones. My rage at the injustice and my love for my son make me want to escalate our petitions and our protests."
We are inspired by the work Regina continues to do and it’s important that we show up for her like she’s shown up for the movement!
The Campaign to Free Incarcerated Survivors of Police Torture (CFIST) with Mamas Activating Movements for Abolition (MAMAS) launched this fundraiser to support Regina in covering Tamon’s legal expenses.
#FreeTamonNow
#DonateToSupportRegina
#MotheringIsRadical
#UpliftMotherSurvivors
#FreeThemAll
"There is nothing more traumatic than knowing that your child is sitting in a cold cell, openly threatened with the possibility of contracting the new coronavirus. ... My plan is to continue resisting and struggling on behalf of Tamon. In the midst of the pandemic, I feel more motivated to act because of the virus-related dangers faced by our incarcerated loved ones. My rage at the injustice and my love for my son make me want to escalate our petitions and our protests."
We are inspired by the work Regina continues to do and it’s important that we show up for her like she’s shown up for the movement!
The Campaign to Free Incarcerated Survivors of Police Torture (CFIST) with Mamas Activating Movements for Abolition (MAMAS) launched this fundraiser to support Regina in covering Tamon’s legal expenses.
#FreeTamonNow
#DonateToSupportRegina
#MotheringIsRadical
#UpliftMotherSurvivors
#FreeThemAll
Organizer and beneficiary
Tamer Abouzeid
Organizer
Chicago, IL
Regina Russell
Beneficiary