<html><head><style type="text/css"><!-- DIV {margin:0px;} --></style></head><body><div style="font-family:times new roman, new york, times, serif;font-size:12pt"><DIV><FONT face=Tahoma size=2><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Subject:</SPAN></B> Western MA needs your help to continue the struggle for Racial Justice<BR></FONT><FONT face="times new roman,serif" size=4><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="times new roman,serif" size=4><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3> <FONT size=4>*********PLEASE FORWARD WIDELY***********</FONT></FONT></DIV>
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<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; TEXT-ALIGN: left"><FONT face="times new roman,serif" size=3>Dear Friends, </FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; TEXT-ALIGN: left"><FONT face="times new roman,serif" size=3>On February 3, 2008 Jason Vassell, an African-American student at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, was the victim of a racist hate crime (see attached for background). He has been further victimized by a racist prosecution. We, a coalition of community organizations, students and faculty, seek solidarity in challenging this racist prosecution.</FONT></DIV>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>The following are updates on the case as well as the grassroots movement. Please read this and stay updated by going to our website at </FONT><A href="http://www.justiceforjason.org/" target=_blank rel=nofollow><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>www.justiceforjason.org</FONT></A><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3> Thank you for your continued support for Jason. </FONT></P>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"> <B>MOTION TO DISMISS</B></FONT></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>On Monday, December 29th, Jason Vassell's defense submitted a motion to dismiss Vassell's indictment, No. 08-56, "on the ground that the defendant has been selectively prosecuted because of his race, in violation of the rights guaranteed him by the Sixth and Fourteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution and Articles I and XII of the Massachusetts Declaration of Rights." Click here to read the motion : </FONT><A href="http://www.justiceforjason.org/motion" target=_blank rel=nofollow><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>http://www.justiceforjason.org/motion</FONT></A><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3> </FONT></P>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>YEAR ANNIVERSARY</FONT></B></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>February 3rd 2009 marks ONE YEAR that Jason has been victim of a racist hate crime and a horrific racist prosecution. As the prosecution continues its violent attack on Jason's life, we are calling on people throughout the region to join us for a DAY OF SHAME.</FONT></P>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"><I>MARCH WITH US ON <B>TUESDAY</B> FEB 3 FOR THE DAY SHAME</I> (for details click here: </FONT></FONT><A href="http://www.justiceforjason.org/dayofshame" target=_blank rel=nofollow><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>http://www.justiceforjason.org/dayofshame</FONT></A><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>) Meet us outside Mackimmie Dorm (Southwest) UMASS at 11:30AM</FONT></P>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"><I>CAN'T MARCH? JOIN US IN A CALL-IN DAY TO THE DA'S OFFICE or do BOTH</I> (for details click here: </FONT></FONT><A href="http://www.justiceforjason.org/feb-3-national-call-in-day" target=_blank rel=nofollow><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>http://www.justiceforjason.org/feb-3-national-call-in-day</FONT></A><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3> )</FONT></P>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"><I>HELP US GET PETITION SIGNATURES</I>-if you've already signed it, encourage 5-10+ of your friends to sign. Please help us get 10,000 signatures before Feb.3<SUP>rd</SUP>. Forward this link to as many people as possible </FONT></FONT><A href="http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/J4JDismissalofcharges/" target=_blank rel=nofollow><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/J4JDismissalofcharges/</FONT></A><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3> </FONT></P>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">WANT TO GET MORE INVOLVED?</FONT></FONT></B></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>Interested in working towards our national campaign? Have national contacts i.e. organizations, friends, family, or coworkers in other states? <SPAN> </SPAN>If you want to help continue raising awareness and mobilizing support for Jason please get in touch with us at </FONT><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><A href="mailto:mobilizingforjason@gmail.com" target=_blank rel=nofollow ymailto="mailto:mobilizingforjason@gmail.com">mobilizingforjason@gmail.com</A>. </FONT></SPAN></P>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">WEBSITE</FONT></FONT></B></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>Our website is constantly being updated and has recently been improved. Please visit it for more updates on the case and upcoming events: </FONT><A href="http://www.justiceforjason.org/" target=_blank rel=nofollow><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>www.justiceforjason.org</FONT></A><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3> </FONT></P>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>Thank You again for your support.</FONT></P>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>In strength,</FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>The Committee for Justice for Jason </FONT></P>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3> <FONT size=4>*********PLEASE FORWARD WIDELY*********** </FONT></FONT></P></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></div><br>
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