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The sisters did the time for robbing a man of $11 in 1993. Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour pardoned them both, with the questionable stipulation that Gladys donate her kidney to Jamie, who has needed dialysis for many years.
The Scott Sisters are moving to Pensacola, Florida, to be with their mother and children. The sisters hold no bitterness against Gov. Haley Barbour or the corrupt judicial system that put them in prison for 16 years.
"They have to pay for their actions in putting me and my sister in prison for a crime we did not commit," Jamie said.
Now, with their life sentences for armed robbery suspended, their future is uncertain. How will the Scott sisters pay for their medical care and the kidney transplant? Are the sisters even a compatible match for the kidney transplant? If not, will Gladys' conditional release be revoked by Gov. Barbour?
But, today is not a day for question. Today is a day to rejoice for the Scott Sisters, their family and all of the online activists who have been fighting this fight over the years.
Our blog didn't do as much as we could ... but, it feels good to know that we did something!
Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour is finally doing the right thing ... albeit for the wrong reasons. Barbour agreed to free two sisters who served 16 years of a double life sentence for an armed robbery in which nobody was hurt and $11 was stolen. Jamie and Gladys Scott should never have been sent to jail in the first place.
"Today, I have issued two orders indefinitely suspending the sentences of Jamie and Gladys Scott. In 1994, a Scott County jury convicted the sisters of armed robbery and imposed two life sentences for the crime. Their convictions and their sentences were affirmed by the Mississippi Court of Appeals in 1996.
"To date, the sisters have served 16 years of their sentences and are eligible for parole in 2014. Jamie Scott requires regular dialysis, and her sister has offered to donate one of her kidneys to her. The Mississippi Department of Corrections believes the sisters no longer pose a threat to society. Their incarceration is no longer necessary for public safety or rehabilitation, and Jamie Scott's medical condition creates a substantial cost to the State of Mississippi.
"The Mississippi Parole Board reviewed the sisters' request for a pardon and recommended that I neither pardon them, nor commute their sentence. At my request, the Parole Board subsequently reviewed whether the sisters should be granted an indefinite suspension of sentence, which is tantamount to parole, and have concurred with my decision to suspend their sentences indefinitely.
"Gladys Scott's release is conditioned on her donating one of her kidneys to her sister, a procedure which should be scheduled with urgency. The release date for Jamie and Gladys Scott is a matter for the Department of Corrections.
"I would like to thank Representative George Flaggs, Senator John Horne, Senator Willie Simmons, and Representative Credell Calhoun for their leadership on this issue. These legislators, along with former Mayor Charles Evers, have been in regular contact with me and my staff while the sisters' petition has been under review."
Of course it made too much sense for Barbour to simply commute their sentence without the ludicrous and unconstitutional condition that one sister (Gladys) donate a kidney to her sister, who requires dialysis at least three times per day.
Villagers are reminded that the Scott sisters were convicted of robbing at gunpoint two men driving them to a nightclub in Forest, north Mississippi, in 1993. They had no prior criminal record. Each was sentenced to two life terms.
They have served 16 years for a conviction that never would have occurred if they were white. Being Black and poor in Mississippi means that the judicial system can truly phuque with you ... as the Scott sister learned.
Gov. Barbour is taking big-time heat for his racist recollections of his childhood in KKK-dominated southern hometown. I figure that he realized he couldn't afford to continue to ignore the growing protests about the unjust and inhumane imprisonment of these two Black women. Barbour saw a chance to end the protest and get the Scott sisters the heck out of Mississippi (...they plan to move in with their mother who lives in Florida). So, in my mind, Barbour is making this move for his own political reasons ... he is a candidate for the GOP presidential nomination in 2012 ... and not because he believes it is the right thing to do in his heart.
However, a good deed ... even if done for wrong reasons ... is still a good deed. This blog is glad to see Barbour taking these steps. We understand it may take up to 45 days for the sisters to be physically released from the prison. Our hope is that Barbour will get that done sooner rather than later.
Gray-Haired Witnesses Fast for Justice was held on June 21, 2010, calling attention to the growing numbers of incarcerated Black women and the gross over-sentencing in cases such as the Mississippi Scott Sisters, Jamie and Gladys. The Scott Sisters received double-life sentences each in an alleged armed robbery of $11.00 in which no one was harmed or injured, and for which they have steadfastly maintained their innocence. This outrageous case became all the more urgent when Jamie Scott, now in the 16th year of this draconian sentence, suffered kidney failure in January 2010 and has had several close calls with death as a result of poor medical treatment in the prison.
The rally began at the Department of Justice with a small but spirited protest and speak-out against the prison industrial complex, the disparity in arrests, sentencing and treatment during and after incarceration, particularly of Black people. Supporters came from as far as Boston and Mississippi to proclaim that the Scott Sisters be released from prison, as well as all those suffering under the MDOC system, one of the worst prison systems for medical care in the country.
“We are here to represent those who came before us,” stated Gray-Haired Witness B.J. Peak-Graham, "Our Ancestors cry through us demanding all justices denied."
Atty Sam Jordan was very thorough and spoke with great conviction, as well as Gloria & Clarence Bolls, Donnie Finley, Chioma Oruh, and more! They were each eloquent and adamant that an investigation into the case of the Scott Sisters needed to be a top item on the Washington agenda and that enough is truly enough for this devastating case!
Later that afternoon at Lafayette Park, the energy was still very high and a lot of information was shared with attendees and passersby. Brenda Branson, Spoken Word and Slangston Hughes were among those who brought the power to bear on this system during their hard-hitting and impassioned spoken word presentations, and the crowd was visibly moved by a beautiful musical performance by Khadijah “Moon” Ali-Coleman. The many speakers who brought dynamic information to the rally included Returning Citizens United, UNIA Pres. General Senghor Jawara Baye, Clinton Alexander, Atty Nkechi Taifa, Mike Johnson, revered community mother and esteemed elder Mama Nia, and more, that made for a very meaningful day of education and information that lit up the entire square and reached everyone within earshot. Atty Ann Wilcox also took the stage and spoke in solidarity on behalf of the local Green Party and the Gray Panthers.
Portions of the rally were very moving and being in the shadow of the White House made them all the more poignant.
Gray-Haired Witness, Jamia Shepherd, read from heartbreaking letters from Jamie and Gladys Scott, one in which Jamie wrote: “I’ve been robbed of so much by the state of Mississippi until I can’t feel anymore. But in the midst of this pain, I do also feel the love and support from each of you. Please stay strong in your stand for justice. One day we shall overcome. I just pray my day won’t be too late.”
The organizers were uplifted by those in attendance as well as all of those who supported but were unable to attend, and all expressed their love and admiration for the awe-inspiring courage and fortitude of Mrs. Evelyn Rasco, the true engine behind all of the organizing that goes on with respect to her beloved and suffering daughters. The movement is growing and all of the people who are organizing on behalf of the Scott Sisters around the country and world will be heard!
“We come from a history of struggle, we must relearn that we don’t just lay down and accept injustice!” said Gray-Haired Witness Marpessa Kupendua.
The women vowed to remain consistent and continue to move forward in the spirit of Ida B. Wells on this case and in other efforts to demand an end to the demonization and dehumanization of the Black community in general and Black women in particular in the future.
I encourage all villagers to find a way to support the Scott Sisters ... even if it is simply with the power of your prayer!
On December 24, 1993, Scott County Sheriff's Department arrested two sisters, Jamie and Gladys Scott for armed robbery. Jamie and Gladys Scott were each sentenced to double life terms in prison in October 1994.
Neither sister had prior convictions
Neither sister had prior arrests
Neither sister had a criminal history
Allegedly $11 was stolen
No one was injured
No one was murdered
Here is the kicker -- three young Black men confessed to the robbery. These three hoodlums linked Jamie and Gladys to the crime. These three miscreants received a light sentence of 10 months in exchange for their plea bargain.
I appreciate the time you will take to look into this. It doesn't matter whether you think that they are innocent or guilty ... the injustice is that the crime does not warrant the amount of prison time given to these two young Black women. At some point we MUST stand up for justice. This happens far too often and we have the POWER to do something about it.
