"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere"-Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

To whom it may concern:
We represent the Committee to Exonerate Toyling L. Washington.
Toyling L. Washington has been a community and political activist for a decade. She has championed such causes as: Affordable housing, students rights, voter rights, and grassroots organizing, among the critical issues. Since 2005 Ms. Washington and her family has been the victim of an ongoing state sanctioned character assassination campaign. This malicious assault has resulted in the imprisonment of Ms. Washington and her son.
On August 16th, 2007, Ms. Washington was charged in New Jersey state court with one count of Theft by unlawful taking and another count of Theft by deception and sentenced to seven years at Clinton Correctional Facility.
While incarcerated, she endured much mental and physical abuse at the hands of inmates and prison staff alike. She was left in isolation, stripped naked, and drugged without her consent on several occasions. She was made to sleep in a paper apron in a cell that constantly stayed at freezing temperatures.
Along with sleeping virtually naked in a freezing jail cell, Ms. Washington, was not given any feminine hygiene products while she was on her monthly cycle. This went on for a period of six months.

Prior to being sent to prison, Ms. Washington was kidnapped, under the guise of arrest, from her home on two separate occasions by the Union County Prosecutors office and Sheriffs Department. During the second time that she was arrested, Ms. Washington, while being held at the Union County Jail, was not told why she had been detained and shortly after was placed in an isolated cell without a bed.
Two days after Ms. Washington arrived at the Jail, she was told by officials that unless she cooperated with them, she would be sent to Trenton State Psychiatric hospital for the criminally insane.

Ms. Washington was subsequently sent to state prison to serve out her sentence. By a miracle she was paroled after serving only eighteen months. She is currently home with her family where she is helping to rear her two grandchildren. She is also pursuing her doctorate in Religious Education.

This entire ordeal is a direct consequence of Ms. Washingtons outspokenness against local political corruption. Her exposing of such wickedness resulted in the resignation of a powerful councilman with many ties to key people in government. This crisis has cost Ms. Washington money, credibility, and any chances of ever holding public office which was the intended aim of her accusers from the very beginning. This situation is a clear example of domestic and political terrorism against U.S. citizens.

We are requesting that Congressman John Conyers (D-MI) who is the head of the Judiciary Committee hold hearings regarding the legitimacy of the case against Ms. Washington as well as the tactics that were used by the Union County Prosecutors office.

And so we ask for your signature on this petition to Congressman Conyers. Thank you for your support.