Newtopia - 07/2005 July
Important Notice Regarding Newtopia's Editor-in-Chief
2005-07-02 21:16:42
Dear Readers,
Last March, Newtopia's Editor-in-Chief, Charles Shaw, was arrested on charges of drug possession. Specifically, he was found carrying a small amount of marijuana and MDMA (Ecstasy). From mid-March to July 1 of this year, Charles was under house arrest while his case was processed. At his preliminary hearing, the judge ruled in favor of probable cause for the arresting officers. The result of his sentence hearing was a recommended term of one year, which Charles accepted. On the morning of July 1, Charles arrived at the Cook County courthouse in Skokie, IL, to plead guilty and begin his one year incarceration.
The Newtopia web site will continue operation during Charles's absence. Brian Allemana, Newtopia's lead web developer, and Norman Council, Newtopia's managing editor, will continue to keep the content fresh and of the high standard set by Charles and others over the years. You can e-mail Norman to submit an article or art piece, or e-mail Brian with any questions about our web site or if you'd like to relay a message to Charles.
All of us here at Newtopia are very saddened to see our leader and friend carted off to prison for a completely victimless crime. Charles has been a strong activist for peace and truth and has fought hard against the injustice of the drug war through his writing, speaking, and education of those around him. With Newtopia, he has created a level platform for people of varying voices to express their ideas to an open, listening audience. It is therefore sadly ironic that a voice for justice must suffer an injustice at the hands of the State. But, as Charles himself has said, he is no exception to the alarming number of peaceful individuals who are incarcerated for nonviolent drug related offenses every year. Our hearts go out to all who have their freedoms unjustly taken away.
In June, Guerrilla News Network published a piece by Charles discussing the drug war and the prison industrial complex entitled The Vice Lords of the Replacement Economies. The article discusses in depth the issues surrounding the drug culture in the United States and the true benefactors of the War on Drugs.
From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you for your continued support of Newtopia as we make it through this challenging period. We encourage you to post your thoughts and feelings below so that we can continue a frank discussion about the unjust system that has recently touched us.
Again, we thank you.
Love and Peace to all,
The Newtopia Staff
UPDATE: Charles has been released on parole and is staying with a friend in Chicago. He can be reached via e-mail here.
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