John C Cole, aka Balagoon, has been locked up in the corrupt Indiana Department of Corrections since the 70’s, where he became a political mentor to many other prisoners. In 1985, he was a leader in the 1985 Pendleton Uprising where prisoners, in response to racist guards viciously beating another inmate, took over a cellblock and held four guards hostage. They presented a list of demands to the media which included an end to censorship of letters and media, the ability to be politically active without reprisal, the establishment of a minimum wage for inmates, and the establishment of a grievance committee for prisoners to safely bring forward issues to the DOC without fear of intimidation, threats, beatings, or any other punishment by guards.
Balagoon was eventually tried and wrongfully convicted in retaliation for his leadership role in the uprising and sentenced to 84 more years in prison. During the trial, the judge and prosecution refused to allow testimony about the systematic brutality against Black prisoners at the institution, and the existence of a formally organized white supremacist group among the guards called the Sons of Light, to be heard by the jury. He is currently seeking a sentence modification to reduce the amount of time he’s forced to be confined behind bars, controlled and monitored every step of the way by the very same injustice system he has been fighting for decades. He was originally sentenced to serve his four counts from the Pendleton Uprising consecutively but is arguing that they should have been done concurrently, which would get him out on time served over the past 43 years. He needs every bit of help he can get to increase the chances of him getting out sooner, to see freedom for the first time in many years, and to bring his dedication to the struggle for liberation to the outside world.
The need to get Balagoon free is even more pressing considering his physical condition. He has been illegally held in solitary confinement for 31 years, and the neglect and horrific treatment during that time has left him with medical issues that the IDOC refuses to treat or sometimes even acknowledge. With the COVID-19 pandemic still raging, Balagoon’s health and 61 years of age are an even more dangerous combination than even in normal circumstances behind bars.
Support Balagoon’s Attempt to Win A Sentence Modification by Printing & Mailing the Form Letter to the Madison County Prosecutor Linked in the Image of him Below!
You can listen to Balagoon speaking in his own words about his ongoing attempt to get his sentence modified, and the 1985 uprising in these interviews on Kite Line Radio.
A recent picture of Balagoon. Click the image to download and print a form letter to sign and mail to the Madison County Prosecutor.