Activist father Murtari, thankful for press, lucky to be alive.

Tuesday, August 22, 2006
By Teri Stoddard

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John Murtari says he feels better this morning after a night of restful sleep. The feeding tube that’s been keeping him alive was removed yesterday and the plan is to reinsert it tomorrow. “It’s been difficult sleeping,” he said, “I’ve been very uncomfortable. It’s great getting a whole night’s sleep.” When asked about staying hydrated while the tube is out he responded, “I’ve been drinking a little juice each morning, and a little milk each evening, and I’ll continue to do that, as well as drink some water.”
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Murtari, 49, hasn’t had solid food since July 31 when he reported to jail to serve a 6-month sentence for “willful” failure to pay his $60,000 child support arrears, a charge he says in unjust. He has been paying what he can afford, he claims, and says the $60,000 it has cost him to stay in his son’s life isn’t being taken into acount.
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Domenic, Murtari’s 13-year-old son, was moved across the country by his mother after the divorce, something Murtari tried to stop. Murtari visits him four times a year and brings him back to New York for visits twice a year. “Those airline flights are expensive,” he says.
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Murtari, founder of AKidsRight.org, and other family rights advocates want Congressional hearings and ultimately passage of a Family Rights Act. They believe no one should lose custody of their children, whether by divorce or Children’s Protective Services, without a trial and a jury of their peers.
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Having only consumed 30 ounces of water in 10 days, then 2 nutritional supplements the day he was given the feeding tube, Murtari had experienced low blood pressure, a rapid and irregular heartbeat, tremors, loss of over 25 lbs. and was starting to have trouble finishing sentences.
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Jail personnel told Murtari it was his choice to starve to death, and they would not intervene. After local newspapers published articles on his situation, he was finally given the nasogastric feeding tube.
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Inspired by Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Murtari hopes his passive resistance to the incarceration will draw attention to the immoral laws affecting people in family court. “I have good news for you,” he told me, “the Post-Standard [newspaper] did a half-page editorial section [on his situation.] “Please tell everyone thank you for writing letters,” he added.
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Jailed Activist Refusing FoodPost Standard – August 10

Inmate: I don’t recommend…this.
Protesting child custody laws, John Murtari stopped eating 10 days ago - Post Standard – August 12

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The Post-Standard had already published two articles (above), as has the Finger Lake Times (below). Mike McManus, founder of Marriage Savers, dedicated his last column to shared parenting and John’s situation.
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Lyons Man Refuses Food, Water – Finger Lake Times – August 10
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Inmate from Lyons gets feeding tube- Finger Lakes Times – August 15

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Murtari didn’t know about the flurry of activity on his behalf this weekend. He told me Friday he was feeling uncomfortable, and asked that I check with some doctors to see what he should do. He’d told me earlier that half the nurses at the jail behave like nurses, and half behave more like jailers, obviously not agreeing with what he’s doing. Knowing that no one was concerned enough at the jail to call a doctor put me on alert.
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I got ahold of a doctor who said it could be a condition called acute abdomen, and that if it was, it could be life-threatening; that he could be dead by Monday. Knowing I wouldn’t hear back from John until Monday I called the Onondaga County Justice Center’s medical center. After being told I was being transferred to a human, I got an answering machine. When I called back 30 minutes later to make sure they got my message, I was assured, and thanked, by a woman who seemed way too nice, who then hung up on me.
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All I can say is, “Thank God it wasn’t acute abdomen.” When I asked Murtari on Monday if they’d done the simple rebound test to see if it was, he said, “No.” I then called Judge Hedges to ask him to let John go free, and to tell him how awful it would be for Domenic if John didn’t make it out of jail alive.
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To ask Judge Hedges to reduce Murtari’s sentence, call or write:
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Judge Bryan Hedges

Onondaga County Family Court
401 Montgomery Street
Syracuse, NY 13202
(315) 671-2040
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To contact public officials on Murtari’s behalf:
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Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (up for election this year)
James M. Hanley Federal Building
100 South Clinton Street
P.O. Box 7378
Syracuse, NY 13261-7378
Phone: 315-448-0470, Fax: 315-448-0476
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Congressman James Walsh (up for election this year)
James M. Hanley Federal Building
100 South Clinton Street
P.O. Box 7306
Syracuse, NY 13261-7306
Phone: 315-423-5657, Fax: 315-423-5669
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US Attorney Glenn Suddaby
P.O. Box 7198
100 South Clinton Street
Syracuse, NY 13261-7198
Phone: 315-448-0672, Fax: 315-448-0689
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Onondaga County DA Bill Fitzpatrick (John already sent Mr. Fitzpatrick a sworn complain about attorney misconduct and perjury — check A Kids Right’s main page for details on April 26,2006.)
505 S. Salina Street
Syracuse, NY 13202
Phone: 315-435-2470
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To contact the media:
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WHEC TV (NBC) -
Main Number: 585-546-5670
News Hot Line: 585-232-1010,
http://www.10nbc.com/contactus.asp
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WHAM TV (ABC) -
Newsroom: 585-222-1313
Newsroom Hotline: 585-334-8743,
News Fax: 585-334-8719 yourstories@13wham.com
http://www.13wham.com/contactus
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WROC TV (CBS) – News Tip Line: 585-224-8888,
http://www.wroctv.com/ Newsroom@wroctv.com
WUHF (FOX) – News Hotline: (585) 262-FOX1
News Fax: (585) 232-3005 http://www.foxrochester.co
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WIXT/WSYR (ABC 9) – Your stories: yourstories@9wsyr.com
assignmentdesk@9wsyr.com
315-446-9900
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WSTM (NBC 3/UPN 6) -
Newsroom: 315-477-9446
News Tips Line: 315-426-TIPS news@wstm.com
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WTVH (CBS 5) – http://www.wtvh.com/contactus/default.aspx
Main number: 315-425-5555
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NEWS 10 NOW (24 Hour Local News) – http://www.news10now.com/content/contact_us
News Tips Line 1-866-4NEWS10
News Fax Line 1-866-634-4270
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WCNY (PBS 24) – http://www.wcny.org/contact

Main number: 315-453-2424
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Post Standard – City Paper 315-470-0011
Local News: citynews@syracuse.com ,
Court news: Jim O’Hara, 315-470-2260, johara@syracuse.com
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Times of Wayne County – Local Paper (weekly)
waynetimes@aol.com
http://www.waynetimes.com/
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Finger Lakes Times – Local Paper (daily)
Lyons Reporter: Jim Miller jmiller@fltimes.com
http://www.fltimes.com/
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NY Law Journal (Newspaper) 212-779-9200
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To make monetary donations:
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Donations to Murtari’s legal fund:
Mr. Charles Keller Esq.
Att: Murtari Legal Defense
9416 Carousel Center Drive
Syracuse, New York 13290
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Donations of $100 for press releases, or for more information:
Call Teri Stoddard at 877-635-1968 ex. 212.
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Other donations:
Kids-Right Support c/o Software Workshop Inc.
Att: Media Fund
55 E. Genesee Street
Baldwinsville, NY 13027
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You can write to John:
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John Murtari
POD 2A-5
555 South State Street
Syracuse, NY 13202.

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Previous post on John Murtari

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I'm a sun and nature loving, 50-something, laid back, forward thinking, liberal anti-feminist egalitarian, san francisco bay area native, single mom of 4 and yia yia to 2. I've been active in the equal parenting movement since 2002. Known as the purple Queen of Equality, I once blogged as the Feminist4Fathers. Find me now on sharedparentingworks.org and jugsforjustice.org. | More from Teri Stoddard

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How to survive the coming food shortage.

5 Responses to “Activist father Murtari, thankful for press, lucky to be alive.”

  1. 1
    Roger Knight Says:

    Glad to hear John is feeling better.
    I understand wanting to pass a Family Rights Act. But we already have an Antipeonage Act. We also have an 1871 Civil Rights Act watered down by the original failure to include the word “orders”, which is in the 1867 Antipeonage Act, and by court rulings such as Younger v. Harris, and by the 1996 Act of Congress that exempted state court judges from liability under 42 U.S.C. §1983.
    The Peonage Law ought to be enough, for throwing John in jail for not paying child support is punishing him for not working enough to earn enough money.
    That is what peonage is. It is declared null and void by 42 U.S.C. §1994 and it is a CRIME, 18 U.S.C. §1581.
    If anyone reading this is serving on a federal grand jury, it is now time to act!

  2. 2
    » Passive Resister Murtari: “I’m Back On [Hunger] Strike,” TV Coverage Says:

    [...] previous post on Murtari [...]

  3. 3
    tonysprout Says:

    Depends on what the meaning of “is” is, eh?Reference that famous barrister, William Jefferson Clinton.

    The judicials don’t use Webster’s, and get pissed when you do. I’m sure “peon” in their legal version has a different definition.

    I’m with ya, don’t get me wrong, but lawyers and judges are snakes; they’ll getcha when ya ain’t lookin’.

    What needs to be done is to scrap them and their legal dictionary,and put us all in the same book.

    Early English courts actually had their own version of English, used only by judicials to keep the commoners out.

  4. 4
    tonysprout Says:

    On checking a few Legal Definition sites, I don’t see a definition for the word “peon”.

  5. 5
    » Passive Resister for Civil Rights, Murtari’s Health Deteriorating Again Says:

    [...] Phone: (315) 986-4300 . Calling is the best, but if you can only afford to email, the links are here. . One idea to get people talking about this is for each of you to call in to your local talk radio stations and start the discussion.  Remember, controversy is good, just remember to stay positive.  John doesn’t want blame put on any human being; it’s the system we’re fighting. . Please feel free to repost my blog updates about John and his newsletters on other sites, especially those on spirituality, religion and civil rights.  Does your church have a newsletter you can send them to? . Previous post on Murtari . Want to subscribe to this blog? [...]

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