Sold Off the Plantation: The Fugitive Slave Act Today

I'am a State Prisoner out of the State of Indiana and in December of 2018 I was sold off the plantation, by being forced out of State per the Interstate Corrections Compact and shipped off to the Commonwealth of Virginia.

This is a contract that is entered between States to receive, swap and send prisoners between the states. The origin of this practice and contract has its roots within the Fugitive Slave Act and the practice of selling rowdy, rebellious or subversive slaves off the plantation. This includes without any Rights to Appeal (I was only allowed to file an appeal of my placement after I had been in Virginia for 3 yrs.!) due process or constitutional protection. In fact the U.S. Supreme Ct. has ruled that "inmates have no reasonable expectation to be housed in their state of conviction."

In Virginia they have a variation of parole, geriatric parole and are currently in the process of passing prison reform bills pertaining to sentence modification, extra earned credit time, a second look/chance time cut bill, etc.
As a prisoner from Indiana I'am not allowed to benefit from any of these laws . I'am not allowed to go up for parole in Virginia, petition for extra credit or benefit from any of its laws. I'am just housed under the Va.DOC jurisdiction, they just have my body.

Then today 1-31-24 I was just informed by the I.D.O.C. Interstate Corrections Compact Dept. that as someone sold off the plantation, that I'am not allowed to benefit from new laws and statutes that are passed in the State of Indiana concerning the ability to earn extra credit time. Several years ago the I.D.O.C. implemented a new Statute & Policy called Earned Credit Time Case Plan where based on a plan created by the Unit Team and institution where you complete various educational and treatment programs, you're credited with time off of your sentence.

When I requested information on this program and stated that I wanted to opt in, I was told that it currently doesn't apply to Interstate Compact inmates!!

How is it that I can't benefit from the laws of Virginia and apparently I can't benefit from the laws of Indiana either! These laws, actions, and practices once again validates the true meaning of the 13th Amendment, "There shall neither be slavery or involuntary servitude unless duly convicted of a crime".

Dare to Struggle - Dare to Win!!
Shaka Shakur
shakashakur1996207@jpay.com