April Griffin

5-Year Signature Plan Initiative

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Justice Should Matter Initiative

An Outrage

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News Flash

Milwaukee, WI - Milwaukee County Jail
April Griffin was released from Milwaukee County Jail to the custody of Attorney Narciso Aleman, her attorney, on Friday afternoon, January 25, 2008.

Welcome!

This page highlights the injustices and downright horrific developments that have happened and are taking place in our judicial system and county jail to Ms. April Griffin, Milwaukeean.

To The Judiciary, Safety and General Services Committee
Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors
From the Coalition To Free April Griffin

Since May 14, 2007, a woman has been in jail because she refused to turn her son over to Milwaukee County ’s foster care system. She is April Griffin. The case has moved at two different levels. One of the levels is the judicial system that deals with paternity and child placement and the other has been the jail system.

At the level of paternity and child placement Judge Michael D. Goulee’s court has conducted several irregularities by not serving a summons and petition upon April that the same paternity hearing was going to deal with the placement of the child because April offended the Judge by presenting herself firm and resolved in her ideas. Despite the statutory procedures to determine child placement for children born-out-of-wedlock, the Court decided its own procedures and decided to take the child from the mother without finding that the mother was unfit, nor that the father was a fit parent. It did not even determine whether the father was in the country legally.

At the level of the jail, April has been subjected to threats by the jailers. She has been threatened by being told that her food could be poisoned. After that, April did not want to eat the jail food and she bought snacks. On one occasion they placed her snacks in the toilet and told her to go get them there. On one occasion they cut off the water to her cell for three days. At another occasion there was no water, but there were white maggots falling out of the faucet; not just April’s; other women complained about the same problems.

April has been sexually assaulted by one of the female guards who wanted to show her amorous nature. Upon filing a complaint about that, April was accused of assaulting a law enforcement officer. Since April was ready to defend against such a falsehood, they withdrew the charge and simply reprimanded her. Lately, the male jailers have insisted in watching April undress and dress. The guards call all the women in the cells, “bitches” and they do it using the public address system. What has happened repeatedly has been that the money deposited for April to buy snacks in the inmate account disappears. She has been charged for telephone cards she never received. She has been charged for snacks and items she has not received. This has happened, not only to April, but to many of the women in jail. Complain? To whom?

Since April has been in jail, she has started three prayer groups and two Bible study groups. The women gather to pray for each other and for all. They pray for their children, their families, their husbands, their lovers. That has not sat well with some of the jailers. They do not like it because after praying a few times, some of the women feel like they have rights as human beings and that there is a higher authority that protects them and that they do not have to submit to the abuse of the jailers. They have been denied use of the library and other public areas to pray and discuss the Bible.

April has complained she feels dizzy and needs to see a doctor and she has been denied. She has been told that the only way she will ever get to a hospital is in a body bag. However, a white prisoner complained about a tooth ache and she was taken to a dentist the same day.

Mother fight to keep her child by going to jail in Milwaukee

Mother: April Griffin (American)
Age: 28

Father: Matthew K. Sebuliba (Ugandan)

Baby: Jesse

Sister: Ieshuh Griffin

Incarcerated: May, 2007 to Present

Paternity Suit & Law Suit

City/State: Milwaukee, WI

Judge:
Michael D. Guolee, Branch 32
Milwaukee County Circuit Court

Ms. Griffin’s Present Attorney:
Mr. Narciso Alemán

Ms. Griffin’s Past Attorney:
Mr. Alan Eisenberg

Abstract

Under Construction

Account by Ms. Griffin

  • What lead up to this?
  • Ms. Griffin’s refusal to have father visit the baby
  • Ms. Griffin’s alleged attack on Mr. Sebuliba
  • Attorney Alan Eisenberg withdrawal
  • Domestic violence during pregnancy
  • Unbelievable requests and denial by court commissioners and Judge Guolee.
  • Mean-spiritedness of Judge Guolee and colleagues
  • Inconsistencies
  • Lost records
  • Undocumented testimony though court reporting
  • Appearance of Blocking for Appeal process
  • Documents arbitrarily sealed by the court
  • Documents to Appeal Court missing
  • Night visits by female and male correctional officers - Sheriff Department
  • Common use of the word “Bitch” to refer to the female inmates by correctional officers - Sheriff Department
  • Arrest Warrant for Baby Jesse - 1st known “Arrest Warrant for a baby in Milwaukee”
  • Father wishes to take baby to Uganda and raise with his wife and family.
  • Ms. Griffin refusal to eat and why?
  • Ms. Griffin health status of great concern
  • Ms. Griffin has one kidney
  • Attorney Narciso Alemán uphill battle to represent Ms. Griffin
  • Need of funds to pay Attorney Narciso Alemán

Info
An article, click on,
Lindenberger Time
and
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

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Last edited by Mary. Based on work by TeganDowling.  Page last modified on January 27, 2008

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