The benefit will feature comedy by Tom Ammiano and "Midgett the
Sexpert," music by Debbie Fier and Carolyn Brandy, bellydancing
by Hayyp Hyder and Sharon Page Ritchie, storytelling and drumming
by Jacqueline LeTalien, Kyos Featherdancing, and Vicki dello Joio.
There will be special guest appearances by Patrick Hooty Croy
with the latest update on his sister's case, and by Judy Taulogon
of the American Indian Movement. There will be posters, tee-shirts,
fry bread, and crafts for sale at intermission.
Norma Jean Croy is a Shasta Indian imprisoned since 1978 for a killing
she did not commit. She, her brother Hooty, and two cousins became
involved in an argument with a store clerk in 1978. The police were
called and a high speed chase ensued. Norma and Hooty were both
shot in the back. One of the cousins, Darrell, was shot in the groin.
In self-defense, Hooty shot an officer and was convicted of murder.
Hooty received the death penalty and Norma received life in prison,
even though she had never even touched the weapon and even though
Hooty was later found not guilty by reason of self-defense.
Judge Edward Stern, Hooty's trial judge in the second, 1990 trial,
had this to say "I think that wehn Norma Jean Croy comes up for
a parole hearing again, that the parole board should take into
consideration that fact that this court at least believes that
had Norma Jean Croy been tried in the case I heard, Norma Jean
Croy would have been found not guilty...I want the record
to be clear that this is my judgement, my opinion, having heard
the evidence in this case."
Norma in fact went up for her FIFTH parole hearing in July 1992.
Her parole was denied for two more years. Of all the original
defendents Norma is the only one still doing time.
Norma's attorney's had this to say about the hearing, "From the
beginning of the hearing, it was clear that the panel had
already decided to deny Norma parole for another two years.
The Board refused to consider evidence of Norma's innocence
which had been presented at her brother's 1990 retrial. It
ignored Judge Stern's statement, and the declaration of the
jury foreman, that had Norma been retried with her brother,
she would also have been acquitted of the charges. In short,
it was an outrageous abuse of power." - Diana Samuelson and
James S. Thompson, attorneys for Norma
WHAT YOU CAN DO
1) The attorneys intend to file an administrative appeal of the
Board's decision. Anyone may write directly to the Board
of Prison Terms to express their opinion on this abuse of
power. The address is Board of Prison Terms, 545 Downtown
Plaza, Suite 200, Sacramento, CA 95814. Please send a copy to
the Norma Jean Croy Defense Committee at 473 Jackson Street,
3rd Floor, San Francisco, CA 94111.
2) Come to the benefit Saturday Sept. 19 at the SF Women's Building.
Half the money goes to the International Tribunal of Indigenous
Peoples and Oppressed Nationalities, convened by the American
Indian movement. The other half goes to Norma. Money raised
for her goes directly to expenses she has, and/or to postage
to publicize her case. It does not go to her lawyers, but
instead for packages she receives inside, and also publicity.
There is currently a petition pending in the California State Supreme
Court. To keep updated on Norma's case, write to her Defense Committee,
and ask to be put on the mailing list.
(this message posted by Mary Carol Randall. I work with the Defense
Committee and the Benefit Committee.)