Black Flag 210 index
Satpal Ram
Attacked by Screws
On 16th November 1986, Satpal Ram went for a meal at the Sky Blue
Restaurant, Lozells, Birmingham. He was attacked by a group of six white
people who threw plates and glasses at him, one of them stabbing him in
the face with a broken glass. After being stabbed twice Satpal took out
a small knife (which he used at work to open packages) and tried to warn
of his attacker. His attacker went at Satpal again and bleeding and in
fear of his life he stabbed him in self defence. The attacker died after
refusing medical treatment.
At Satpal's trial, most of the prosecution evidence came from the group
that attacked him and witness statements taken by the police from the
Bengali speaking staff, were later disowned by them. Satpal's defence of
self-defence was changed by his barrister at their only meeting (of
forty minutes) shortly before the trial. Vital evidence from defence
witnesses was not understood by the all white jury as no interpreter was
provided. The judge said that he would interpret, despite the fact that
he could not speak a word of Bengali!
This farce of a trial meant that Satpal was found guilty of murder,
without the jury even considering if his actions were in self-defence.
And at his appeal on the 24th November 1995 the judges still only looked
at the evidence given by the five others who took part in the attack.
At the moment Satpal is in segregation and he is moved every 28 days to
another prison. He has been attacked several times by screws, going on
hunger strike, after being beaten and racially abused in Full Sutton
prison. Satpal continues to campaign to prove his innocence and refuses
to be silenced. Recently on Friday the 22nd November Satpal was again
attacked by a screw called Hammond in Brixton prison. This attack took
place after a visit from a supporter, during which the screw insulted
her child and Satpal protested - he was then taken away and given a
beating.
A picket of Brixton prison was immediately organised for Monday 25th,
with supporters coming down from Birmingham. The picket attracted some
local press and importantly made the screws aware that they can't just
beat someone up in the privacy of their sadistic little prison regime
without some kind of come-back. After giving out a load of leaflets
highlighting Satpal's plight, the loud and vocal picket moved on to the
visitors centre of the prison (at the end of visiting time so as not to
disrupt other prisoners visits) where the embarrassed screws ran around
in a flap, and then to the back of the prison to let the prisoners hear
that something was going on.
It seems likely that the attack was timed to purposely discredit Satpal
and ruin his attempts to be moved to the midlands prison HMP Gartree,
where he would be closer to his family . He has been 'ghosted' in
segregation from prison to prison since March following an assault on
him by prison officers in Long Lartin. More recently Satpal had been
moved out of segregation and taken of continuous assessment, his
behaviour giving 'no cause for concern', and he was promised a move to
Gartree.
But as is standard if a prisoner is assaulted they end up being
disciplined and branded a trouble-maker. This is just one more incident
in Satpal's ten year history of injustice and brutal victimisation at
the hands of the British legal system.
The fight to free Satpal continues!
Messages of support can be sent to; Satpal Ram E94164
Though since he is often moved without warning he can be contacted via;
Birmingham Prisoner Solidarity, PO Box 3241, Saltley, Birmingham B8 3DP and
Free Satpal Campaign, c/o 101. Villa RD, Handsworth, Birmingham, B191 nh, phone-0121 507 1618.