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August 11, 2008 
We will be holding a SILENT VIGIL in support of Jason Vassell at John Bowes’ Pre-Trial Hearing Friday, August 15th at 9 am at the Hampshire District Court (205 State Street) in Belchertown MA.
WEAR YOUR ‘JUSTICE FOR JASON’ T-SHIRT over appropriate court attire. If you don’t have a t-shirt, we will provide you with one. No signs please.
CARPOOL FROM AMHERST: Meet at 8 am at the parking lot in downtown Amherst, across from Pasta y Basta and next to the Amherst Town Hall. If you are traveling to the courthouse on your own, please arrive promptly at 8:45 am. Please RSVP for the carpool and/or the courthouse vigil by emailing Dan at dkeefe@student.umass.edu.
John Bowes is one of the two non-student white men who attacked Jason Vassell in his dormitory on the morning of February 3rd, 2008. John Bowes and his co-conspirator John Bosse (who has yet to be charged at all) smashed Jason’s window, hurled racial epithets at Jason, and physically cornered and attacked Jason. While Jason is being charged with Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon (which potentially carries a 30-year prison term), John Bowes is merely being charged with a Civil Rights Violation: in other words, a slap on the wrist. The unseriousness with which John Bowes’ prosecutors are pursuing the case is further evidenced by their decision to drop the original charge of Assault and Battery, despite video documentation of Bowes’ physical assault of Jason. Bowes already has a prior arrest for a racially-motivated attack on his record.
Join us Friday August 15th in support for Jason. Help us maintain our vigilance and express our outrage in the face of this egregiously racist double standard. Supporters of Jason have mobilized for each of his pre-trial hearings with
resounding success. Over 150 supporters came out for Jason’s pre-trial hearing July 24th. We hope to bring out even more supporters for his next hearing September 8th. Maintaining a continued presence at the courthouse is extremely important to demonstrate community support; build momentum and strengthen community ties; and make it clear to the judges, the prosecution, and the DA that they are all accountable to their/our community. Please come and bring your friends.
On February 3, 2008, two white men appeared at the window of the dormitory room of Jason Vassell, a black student who was majoring in Biology at UMass Amherst. The two men subjected Jason to racial invective and threats of violence. They kicked in his window and later gained access to an outer lobby of his dorm, where they attacked Jason, breaking his nose and causing a serious concussion. Injured and attempting to defend himself, Jason wounded his assailants with a small knife while the police were on the way to the site of the crime.