John Murtari, divorced father to 13-year-old Domenic and founder of AKidsRight.org is on his fourth day of noncooperation while incarcerated for failure to pay child support. (Click here for background information.) Murtari is refusing food and water to protest what he says is unjust treatment of noncustodial parents.
“Our civil rights aren’t respected. Family rights need to be established and protected,” he said, “I’ve been trying to get Hillary Clinton to meet with us and to take a look at our proposed Family Rights Act, but she doesn’t seem interested.” Instead of agreeing to a meeting with local parents, Clinton asked that he be arrested for stalking. Murtari had been peacefully protesting in front of Clinton’s Syracuse office by writing in chalk on the sidewalk.
Video coverage:
| Writing I LOVE YOU with Chalk at the Federal Building (RealPlayer) |
| Writing I LOVE YOU with Chalk at the Federal Building (Windows Media) |
| Writing I LOVE YOU with Chalk at the Federal Building (MPEG-4) |
Murtari, in a call this morning from his new location, the Onondaga County Justice Center, says he understands why some people who go on hunger strikes change their minds. “This is scary stuff,” he said, “you’re alone in your cell feeling your body break down and nobody gives a hoot.” “You wonder if it’s really worth it,” he continued, “but I’m a philosophical guy and I have resolve.” This reporter can confirm that the dehydration is taking effect, his memory isn’t as sharp as usual.
He was moved to the Onondaga County Justice Center in Syracuse when officials at the Jamesville Correctional Facility realized he wasn’t backing down and might need medical care. Jamesville had one nurse and examining room, Syracuse has an entire floor with medical staff. Dehydration can lead to swelling of the brain, seizures, kidney failure, coma or death. Murtari’s blood sugar and blood pressure are being monitored. His blood sugar was 43 and his blood pressure was 90 over 60. “I don’t look forward to the feeding tube,” he stated, “I’m going to ask for one in my abdomen instead of down my throat.
It’s often assumed that Murtari quit his high-paying job after being ordered to pay child support. In fact, his leaving that job came before the divorce. Murtari, a veteran and ex-Air Force pilot, had been a highly-paid consultant for a division of Lockheed. His duties included making sure the patrol system software for submarines was adequate. He learned that not only did tests show it wasn’t working, but the company was sending false reports to the Navy. He went through normal channels within the company, but no one was willing to correct this. Murtari knew if this wasn’t corrected people would die. He felt he had no choice; he blew the whistle on them. Murtari was fired the very next day. After researching the situation, the government agreed with Murtari. Unfortunately his actions made getting a job in the same industry difficult. (The judge in his case put that fact aside and imputed his income at the highest level.) This was the second time he’d had to blow the whistle on unethical companies. At that point he decided to focus on his existing small internet company.
Murtari is not an angry radical activist, the image opponents of equal child custody laws portray of the family law reform movement. He’s a quiet, thoughtful, peaceful man. Murtari was at one time planning on being a priest. He was in pre-seminary training when he realized he just couldn’t give up the experience of having a family.
A peaceful protest to draw attention to John’s situation and the plight of all noncustodial parents is being organized for the Onondaga County Justice Center (MAP) (time and date TBA). Interested parties should email Arte Miastkowski at arte_miastkowski@yahoo.com with a copy to Teri Stoddard at teri@akidsright.org.
You can write to John at:
John Murtari
POD 2A-5
555 South State Street
Syracuse, NY 13202.
To write to public officials find contact info HERE.
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Background:
Devoted Parent Risking It All To Highlight Family Rights Violations
John Murtari is already showing signs of dehydration just one day after turning himself in to the Jamesville Correctional Facility to serve a 6-month sentence for failure to pay court-ordered child support and starting his peaceful protest of noncooperation. When Murtari reported to New York’s Jamesville he identified himself and explained to the officers he would not be cooperating. “I won’t walk, eat or drink anything,” he has said, “but I will tell them how much I love my son.”Murtari says his civil rights have been violated, along with the rights of millions of other noncustodial parents. “People need to be aware of what is happening to families all across the nation,” he said, “we need a Family Rights Act.”
The Family Rights Act would:
“recognize and protect the right of our children to have two parents equally involved in their lives and the right of parents to raise and nurture their own children requiring parents be found guilty in a criminal court, with jury protection, of being a demonstrated serious threat to their children – before government can interfere in family life.”
Murtari has been trying to arrange a meeting between Hillary Clinton and local parents for years, but has been turned away and called a stalker. On August 18, 2005 he climbed the structure outside her office in the Syracuse Federal Building and hung a 6-foot banner that read, “Senator Clinton – Please Help Us!”
More of Murtari’s story is on his website A Kids Right.
After a calm 10-minute exchange in the lobby Murtari was put to the floor, handcuffed and dragged into an adjoining room. He was stripped, dressed, and put into an isolated one-inmate cell across from an office.
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Murtari has a bed but no towels or sheets. There is no air conditioning and his cell is about 90 degrees. According to a visitor his color was off and he seemed a bit dazed. Inmates are checked on once an hour.
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Want to call the local newspapers to ask when they’re going to do a story on John?
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Albany – WTEN (Ch 10) ABC – 518-436-4822
John McLoughlin, Managing Editor/Reporter
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Syracuse – WTVH (Channel 5) – (315)453-2424
Syracuse – WCNY (Channel 24) – 315-453-2424
Syracuse – WIXT/WXYR (Channel 9) – 315-446-9900
Syracuse – WSTM (Channel 3) – 315-477-9446
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Parent Chooses Jail Over Losing Loving Relationship With Son, Plans Non-cooperation Protest
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John Murtari, father to Domenic, and founder of A Kid’s Right plans on reporting to the Jamesville Correctional Facility Monday afternoon to serve a 6-month sentence for failure to pay child support. Murtari says it has cost him more than the amount owed ($60,000) just to remain a part of his son’s life after his ex was allowed to move Domenic across the country.
Take a look at these photos of their 6-week summer visitation time and ask yourselves,
“Aren’t some things parents contribute to their children’s lives worth more than cash?”
and
“Shouldn’t parents have the right to decide how to support their children as long as they support them?”
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And while you’re at it, ask yourselves,
“Is it right for a judge to allow one parent to move a child away from the other parent when that parent is loving, fit, and actively involved in the child’s life?”
and
“If they do allow move-aways, shouldn’t travel expences be taken into account when determining child support?”
Here are some video clips of John Murtari being interviewed on televsion:
January 25, 2005 / Syracuse, NY – The following clips were taken from a WSTM Chan 3 (NBC) News Broadcast which aired on Jan. 25, 2005.
| Writing I LOVE YOU with Chalk at the Federal Building (RealPlayer) |
| Writing I LOVE YOU with Chalk at the Federal Building (Windows Media) |
| Writing I LOVE YOU with Chalk at the Federal Building (MPEG-4) |
March 1999 / Syracuse, NY - The following clips were taken from a New’s Magazine show that originally aired in Syracuse, New York in March of 1999. They document an effort that used NonViolent Action.
