We are asking for your help. This will take some effort, because we are asking you to 1)- Write a letter to Michigan Governor, John Engler. 2)- Send a copy to the Michigan Parole Board. We are asking that you send an additional two copies to William Hetherington, so he can further forward copies to the proper authorities as needed.
This is IMPORTANT. Over the past 11 years every attempt to free this man has failed, in part, because of the nature of local politics in Flint, MI. It is a horribly cruel situation and we must persist. Recently, completely new evidence in Hetherington's situation has emerged as a result of an aggressive investigation by his attorney, Jeff Feldman. Feldman is from Florida, by the way, because no one could find an attorney in Michigan to touch his case. In fact, many bizarre things have happened over the years with attorneys from Michigan, who, at first said they would take his case.
This man is innocent and he can prove it.
Hetherington is serving a 30 sentence for Wife Rape, which is 20 years more than the State recommended guidelines. At the time of his conviction, the criminal court refused to recognize that divorce court had frozen his assets and that he had no money to defend himself. His conviction coincided with a bitter custody dispute that William was about to win. Surely, we have all heard this one before.The appropriate addresses are listed below along with a sample letter that you can copy verbatim. If you create your own letter, be ABSOLUTELY sure to copy William's name exactly and to include his prison number.
Thank you, Betty Duffey, Chair, William Hetherington Defense Fund.
Honorable John Engler
Governor of Michigan
State Capitol
Lansing, MI 48901Michigan Parole Board
c/o Chairman
PO Box 30003
Lansing, MI 48909
TWO COPIES OF THE LETTER TO:
William J. Hetherington
# 186155
South Complex
1790 East Parnall
Jackson, MI 49201-903
Dear Governor Engler:
In my opinion the criminal justice system in America has fallen to a new low because of the tragic case of William J. Hetherington, #186155, who has now been in prison for over ten years.
I am sure you have had other letters about him and your office has a file on him. I am not his lawyer and have no personal interest in the case, but I believe he is a victim of a terrible miscarriage of justice, particularly in light of the new evidence which has been uncovered by his attorney.
This case deserves your investigation. Please commute this man's sentence or parole him.
With best regards
(your name and address)
by Richard Bennett and Michael G Rother
Sunday, April 13, 1997, San Francisco - "Andrea Dworkin's writings constitute hate speech against men," says the National Coalition of Free Men. To bring home the point, NCFM's Northern California Chapter protested her appearance at "A Clean, Well-Lighted Place for Books", 601 Van Ness Avenue, on Monday, April 14th, at 7:00 pm.
Why does NCFM feel this way? Below are some excerpts from Ms. Dworkin's writings:
"I want to see a man beaten to a bloody pulp with a high-heel shoved in his mouth, like an apple in the mouth of a pig." - from Ice and Fire
"Men are rapists, batterers, plunderers, killers; these same men are religious prophets, poets, heroes, figures of romance, adventure, accomplishment, figures ennobled by tragedy and defeat. Men have claimed the earth, called it Her. Men ruin Her. Men have airplanes, guns, bombs, poisonous gases, weapons so perverse and deadly that they defy any authentically human imagination." - from Pornography: Men Possessing Women
"On the Left, on the Right, in the Middle; authors, statesmen, thieves; so-called humanists and self-declared fascists; the adventurous and the contemplative; in every realm of male expression and action, violence is experienced and articulated as love and freedom." - from Pornography: Men Possessing Women
If these statements had been made about any other group - women, African American, or gays, for example - they would be denounced as hateful, racist, and sexist. "It's time to stop vilifying men as the root of all evil," says NCFM, "Male-bashing is not OK."
NCFM supports identical rights and responsibilities for men and women. This demonstration is intended to help promote the idea of identical rights and responsibilities, and well as object to Ms. Dworkin's offensive, male-bashing statements.
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Copyright © 1997 by New Chivalry Press
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