Thread by @UR_Ninja

NEW: Federally charged with two others for burning a cop car during the #GeorgeFloydUprising in #Philadelphia, Khalif Miller wrote a "Letter of Injustice" from inside prison saying that his rights are being violated as he awaits trial.

Read his letter: unicornriot.ninja/2022/philadelp…

Federal inmate Khalif Miller said he hadn’t had an attorney visit for his first 19 months, that he was stabbed 10 times & almost killed in an attack & has caught COVID-19 twice while awaiting trial from what he says was political targeting by former US Atty Bill McSwain.

Khalif Miller was arrested on October 28, 2020, & charged along with Carlos Matchett of Atlantic City & Anthony "Ant" Smith, a prominent activist, for allegedly throwing flaming materials into a police car near Philadelphia's City Hall on May 30, 2020.

https://twitter.com/UR_Ninja/status/1266876640543436801

The federal government says the "Philadelphia Three," as Miller calls them, conspired together to burn the cop car. Yet, Miller said he’s never even “met nor spoken” to the other co-defendants & said he was simply taking a picture from atop the police car when it was set aflame.

Khalif Miller & the Philadelphia Three were some of over 300 people across the U.S. who were federally charged during the height of the anti-police & anti-racist uprising of mid 2020, including 80 for arson. Miller, a father and business owner, was only 25 when he was arrested.

The Philadelphia Three were indicted on October 20, 2020, after a grand jury charged them with obstruction of law enforcement during a civil disorder and two counts of arson. If convicted, they face a mandatory minimum of seven years in prison with a maximum of 65 years.

After the uprisings left millions of $ in damages across the U.S., the federal government then levied arson charges and a rare 1960s vintage civil disorder charge in attempts to punish protesters who participated in the popular uprising with long federal prison sentences.

At least 21 people in MN were given federal arson or civil disorder charges from the #GeorgeFloydUprising, including one case where an Illinois man traveled to Minneapolis & was later charged with arson & sentenced to 105 months in prison. [Story from '20] unicornriot.ninja/2020/feds-leve…

Among the several high-profile arson cases from May 2020 in Philly & directly related to the Philadelphia Three was the case of Lore Blumenthal, a 32y/o white massage therapist. Wearing a bandana over her face, she was seen in images throwing flaming material toward a cop car.

Authorities traced the t-shirt Blumenthal was wearing to an Etsy review and arrested her within days. In March 2022, Blumenthal pled guilty to two counts of interfering with law enforcement officers during a civil disorder. Her arson charges were dropped.

https://twitter.com/verge/status/1273578808302501889

Lore Blumenthal was sentenced to 2.5 years in federal prison with what the feds state was “arson of two” police vehicles on May 30, 2020, the same two vehicles the Khalif Miller & the Philadelphia Three are charged and still awaiting trial for.

https://twitter.com/ATFHQ/status/1554905322468286464

Khalif Miller maintains his innocence in setting the police cars on fire: “I was taking photos when suddenly mid-photo chaos erupted and the car that I was standing on (a government official vehicle) erupted into flames as it was firebombed.”

Full story: unicornriot.ninja/2022/philadelp…

As for the other two co-defendants of Khalif Miller’s: Anthony Smith was bailed out on house arrest in early Nov 2020 & is awaiting his trial slated for Oct 31, 2022. Matchett recently pled guilty to federal charges of using social media to incite riots & has further court dates.

Former US Attorney William (Bill) McSwain, appointed by President Donald Trump, was the prosecuting federal attorney during the time of the uprising. McSwain often took to Twitter to post about being 'tough on crime' while also making contradictory statements on sentencings.

Khalif Miller said that while former US Attorney Bill McSwain denied the arrests of the Philadelphia Three “was politically motivated…[it was] one of his main selling points in his political race for Governor.” McSwain resigned from the DOJ in Jan 21 & failed in his run for Gov.

After being called “a coward” by Trump for not stopping "election fraud," McSwain earned 15% of the PA Gov. primary vote in May 22, losing to controversial nominee Sen. Doug Mastriano, who was present during the January 6 riot in DC & has espoused Christian nationalist ideology.

The underlying racist overtones present in the political & judicial system are what Khalif Miller blames as the reason why he languishes in prison for years while others like the January 6 defendants have received bail & lenient sentences compared to #BlackLivesMatter protesters.

Khalif Miller has recently acquired a new attorney, according to court filings & has filed a complaint for violation of civil rights against the correctional officers working during the time he was viciously attacked in his cell and stabbed in August 2021: unicornriot.ninja/wp-content/upl…

The side effects from the extensive injuries from the attack that Khalif Miller said “received no medical attention” are noted as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, blurred vision/loss of vision, increased anxiety, night terrors/trouble sleeping, & “constant, persistent migraines.”

Incarcerated since October 2020, political prisoner Khalif Miller wrote to Unicorn Riot from inside a federal prison cell in Philadelphia & called for support by sharing his story, writing him, & donating for legal fees.

Link to the letter: unicornriot.ninja/wp-content/upl…

Maintaining his innocence, federal inmate Khalif Miller says he was politically targeted & his rights are being violated while in prison awaiting trial on federal arson charges for burning a Philadelphia cop car during the 2020 anti-police uprisings. unicornriot.ninja/2022/philadelp…