The story below is forwarded by Diane DiPrima. This is horrific.

Subject: NOLA Prisoners left to drown

Spread the story, if you can.  Diane

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From: [log in to unmask]
Date: Tue, 6 Sep 2005 15:40:17 -0700 (PDT)
To: [log in to unmask], [log in to unmask],
[log in to unmask]
Subject: PARC: Fwd: left in Orleans Parish Prison

is any organization collecting stories about whether prisoners were
evacuated in new orleans, and if so, how? would like to know... here's one
story about someone who wasn't evacuated.
aaron shuman, parc

hello all,
we are being asked to spread this story far and wide. please do so.
i have never heard anything like this broadcast on any new station anywhere.
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Ahmad Nelson, a native of New Orleans, was in the Orleans Parish Prison on
the day the Hurricane hit. He was there on trumped up charges of trespassing
(he is a black male, and this happens to him all-too frequently).

A really good friend of mine is close friends with him (they have a baby boy
together) and just talked to him over the phone. Ahmad is in Houston now,
with a portion of his family.

Ahmad told Maga (my friend) that he was LEFT IN ORLEANS PARISH PRISON, along
with every other prisoner, when the Hurricane hit and the flood waters rose.
The prison guards and other staff left, evacuated the prison and left the
inmates there to fend for themselves - most of which were locked in their
cells (the cell doors were stuck due to power outages).

Ahmad tells of riots and total panic within the prison as it started filling
with water. He says "the whole prison is going to have to be rebuilt" as the
inmates literally tore the place apart, trying to escape anyway they could.

Ahmad went four days and nights locked in the prison WITHOUT ANY FOOD OR
WATER.

It is unclear to me how he escaped, but he did, and swam what he said seemed
like MILES in flood waters feet above his head (he is over 6" tall) until he
finally came to an interestate bank above the flood waters... Along his
swimming path he tells of seeing people throwing their babbies and
themselves into the water, starved and tired after being alone, stuck on
their rooftops for over four days and nights in the summer sun without any
food, water or shelter - or any relief in sight.

Ahmad is safe now, miraculously. He is in Houston and has found many members
of his family their. I am not sure where they are going next, but am told,
amazingly that they are in good spirits and are very positive and happy to
be with eachother.

My friend Maga and I are working with friends in Houston to ensure that
Ahmad and his family find proper care, etc.

I am writing this to those I know, as this is a story that I have yet to
hear on the media - and it is a story that must be told!

It is one of the more disturbing stories outlining the examples of
governmental neglect and racism towards the people of New Orleans.

I thought I would write friends and collegues to share this story, as I know
many of you do work within independent (and public) media. If anyone would
like to learn more about Ahmad's story and the story of the New Orleand
prisoners left behind in the rising flood waters, please feel free to
contact my good friend Maga. Her e.mail is :

Maga Merello
[log in to unmask]

She is on contact with Ahmad and his family on a day-to-day basis.





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