Silvia Baraldini
Encyclopedia
Silvia Baraldini was active in both the Black Power
and Puerto Rican independence movement
s in the United States
in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. In 1982 she was sentenced to 43 years under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act
(RICO) for conspiring to commit two armed robberies, driving a secondary getaway car during the prison break of convicted murderer and fellow political activist Joanne Chesimard (a.k.a. Assata Shakur)
and for contempt of court for refusing to testify before a Grand Jury that was investigating the activities of the Puerto Rican independence movement.
Although the government sustained that her sentence was appropriate given the serious nature of her crimes, her supporters argued that her harsh sentence was due to her unpopular political beliefs. Baraldini was imprisoned in numerous high-security facilities in the United States, including the notorious basement unit of a Federal Prison in Lexington, Kentucky
which housed two other women, Susan Rosenberg
and Alejandrina Torres
, also convicted of politically-motivated crimes. The unit was sharply criticized by Amnesty International
and its closure was eventually ordered by U.S. District Judge Barrington Parker. After being transferred to Italy in 1999 to serve the remainder of her sentence, she was released on September 26, 2006, thanks to a pardon law
approved in the previous months by the Italian Parliament.
, but was subsequently employed as a civilian with the Italian embassy in Washington, D.C.
She later attended the University of Wisconsin–Madison
where she became a political activist.
She was convicted and sentenced to 43 years: 20 years for assisting in the prison break of a convicted murderer, 20 years for criminal conspiracy, and 3 years for criminal contempt.
Her conviction sparked a campaign in her native Italy, supported mainly by leftist parties and movements, who protested what they saw as the disproportionate length of her sentence, which was perceived as politically motivated, particularly for the part regarding the sentence to 3 years for "criminal contempt", which they claimed infringed on the "right to remain silent" of the accused enshrined in all major European criminal codes. Notable from this respect is the famous Italian singer Francesco Guccini
's song "Canzone per Silvia", expressing solidarity with the prisoner in view of freedom of thought and general condemnation of the prison system, addressed to the United States as a nation.
The fact that, had she been convicted in Italy of the same crimes and found guilty, she would not have been sentenced more than a maximum of 25 years in prison was another point of contention between her supporters and her detractors.
In 1990 Nina Rosenblum directed a documentary "Through the Wire" on the three imprisoned women Susan Rosenberg, Silvia Baraldini and Alejandrina Torres, narrated by Susan Sarandon
.
In 2009, Margo Pelletier & Lisa Thomas of Thin Edge Films released the documentary "Freeing Silvia Baraldini" about the life and radical politics surrounding Silvia's life.
, California
and the High Security Unit
at the Federal Medical Center, Lexington
.
and the Italian Ministry of Justice (headed at the time by Mr. Oliviero Diliberto
, a member of the Party of Italian Communists
), she was transferred to Italy to serve the remainder of her sentence. The terms of the transfer called for her to remain in Italian prison until March 2008. In 2001, she was released on house arrest, permitted to work for the City of Rome between 9 a.m. to 2 p.m each day. She was released from detention on September 26, 2006, thanks to a general pardon law
approved in the previous months by the Italian Parliament. That happened despite the agreement with the Government of the United States which stated that she had to remain in prison until 2008.
Black Power
Black Power is a political slogan and a name for various associated ideologies. It is used in the movement among people of Black African descent throughout the world, though primarily by African Americans in the United States...
and Puerto Rican independence movement
Puerto Rican independence movement
The Puerto Rican independence movement refers to initiatives throughout the history of Puerto Rico aimed at obtaining independence for the Island, first from Spain, and then from the United States...
s in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. In 1982 she was sentenced to 43 years under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act
Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act
The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, commonly referred to as the RICO Act or simply RICO, is a United States federal law that provides for extended criminal penalties and a civil cause of action for acts performed as part of an ongoing criminal organization...
(RICO) for conspiring to commit two armed robberies, driving a secondary getaway car during the prison break of convicted murderer and fellow political activist Joanne Chesimard (a.k.a. Assata Shakur)
Assata Shakur
Assata Olugbala Shakur is an African-American activist and escaped convict who was a member of the Black Panther Party and Black Liberation Army...
and for contempt of court for refusing to testify before a Grand Jury that was investigating the activities of the Puerto Rican independence movement.
Although the government sustained that her sentence was appropriate given the serious nature of her crimes, her supporters argued that her harsh sentence was due to her unpopular political beliefs. Baraldini was imprisoned in numerous high-security facilities in the United States, including the notorious basement unit of a Federal Prison in Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 63rd largest in the US. Known as the "Thoroughbred City" and the "Horse Capital of the World", it is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region...
which housed two other women, Susan Rosenberg
Susan Rosenberg
Susan Lisa Rosenberg is an American radical political activist, author and advocate for social justice and prisoners' rights. Rosenberg was active in many radical movements of the 1960s and 1970s...
and Alejandrina Torres
Alejandrina Torres
Alejandrina Torres is a Puerto Rican nationalist who was convicted and sentenced to 35 years for seditious conspiracy to overthrow the government of the United States. Torres was linked to the Fuerzas Armadas de Liberación Nacional , which claimed responsibility for numerous bombings...
, also convicted of politically-motivated crimes. The unit was sharply criticized by Amnesty International
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
and its closure was eventually ordered by U.S. District Judge Barrington Parker. After being transferred to Italy in 1999 to serve the remainder of her sentence, she was released on September 26, 2006, thanks to a pardon law
Pardon
Clemency means the forgiveness of a crime or the cancellation of the penalty associated with it. It is a general concept that encompasses several related procedures: pardoning, commutation, remission and reprieves...
approved in the previous months by the Italian Parliament.
Early life
In 1961, at the age of fourteen, she moved to the United States with her parents. Her father was initially employed by OlivettiOlivetti
Olivetti S.p.A. is an Italian manufacturer of computers, printers and other business machines.- Founding :The company was founded as a typewriter manufacturer in 1908 in Ivrea, near Turin, by Camillo Olivetti. The firm was mainly developed by his son Adriano Olivetti...
, but was subsequently employed as a civilian with the Italian embassy in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
She later attended the University of Wisconsin–Madison
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
where she became a political activist.
Arrest and conviction
On November 9, 1982, she was arrested and in September 1983 convicted for multiple crimes:- For racketeering and conspiracyConspiracy (crime)In the criminal law, a conspiracy is an agreement between two or more persons to break the law at some time in the future, and, in some cases, with at least one overt act in furtherance of that agreement...
under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations ActRacketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations ActThe Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, commonly referred to as the RICO Act or simply RICO, is a United States federal law that provides for extended criminal penalties and a civil cause of action for acts performed as part of an ongoing criminal organization...
(RICO) statutes for her participation in a terrorist group, the Black Liberation ArmyBlack Liberation ArmyThe Black Liberation Army was an underground, black nationalist-Marxist militant organization that operated in the United States from 1970 to 1981...
. - For conspiring to commit two armored truck robberies.
- For her involvement in the prison break of convicted murderer and Black Liberation Army leader Joanne Chesimard, a.k.a. Assata ShakurAssata ShakurAssata Olugbala Shakur is an African-American activist and escaped convict who was a member of the Black Panther Party and Black Liberation Army...
. - For contempt of courtContempt of courtContempt of court is a court order which, in the context of a court trial or hearing, declares a person or organization to have disobeyed or been disrespectful of the court's authority...
after refusing to surrender the names of members of the May 19th Communist MovementMay 19th Communist MovementThe May 19 Coalition , was a US-based, self-described revolutionary organization formed by members of the Weather Underground Organization...
.
She was convicted and sentenced to 43 years: 20 years for assisting in the prison break of a convicted murderer, 20 years for criminal conspiracy, and 3 years for criminal contempt.
Her conviction sparked a campaign in her native Italy, supported mainly by leftist parties and movements, who protested what they saw as the disproportionate length of her sentence, which was perceived as politically motivated, particularly for the part regarding the sentence to 3 years for "criminal contempt", which they claimed infringed on the "right to remain silent" of the accused enshrined in all major European criminal codes. Notable from this respect is the famous Italian singer Francesco Guccini
Francesco Guccini
Francesco Guccini is an Italian singer-songwriter, considered one of the most important Cantautori. During the five decades of his music career he has recorded 16 studio albums and collections, and 6 live albums. He is also a writer, having published autobiographic and noir novels, and a comics...
's song "Canzone per Silvia", expressing solidarity with the prisoner in view of freedom of thought and general condemnation of the prison system, addressed to the United States as a nation.
The fact that, had she been convicted in Italy of the same crimes and found guilty, she would not have been sentenced more than a maximum of 25 years in prison was another point of contention between her supporters and her detractors.
In 1990 Nina Rosenblum directed a documentary "Through the Wire" on the three imprisoned women Susan Rosenberg, Silvia Baraldini and Alejandrina Torres, narrated by Susan Sarandon
Susan Sarandon
Susan Sarandon is an American actress. She has worked in films and television since 1969, and won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in the 1995 film Dead Man Walking. She had also been nominated for the award for four films before that and has received other recognition for her...
.
In 2009, Margo Pelletier & Lisa Thomas of Thin Edge Films released the documentary "Freeing Silvia Baraldini" about the life and radical politics surrounding Silvia's life.
Prison
She was transferred to several prisons including one in New York and one in PleasantonPleasanton, California
Pleasanton is a city in Alameda County, California, incorporated in 1894. It is a suburb in the San Francisco Bay Area located about east of Oakland, and west of Livermore. The population was 70,285 at the 2010 census. In 2005 and 2007, Pleasanton was ranked the wealthiest middle-sized city in...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and the High Security Unit
High Security Unit
High Security Unit was a "control" unit for women within the Federal Correctional Institution in Lexington, Kentucky. In the less than two years that the HSU was operational it became a focus of national and international concern over human rights abuses.It was opened in 1986 by the U.S. Federal...
at the Federal Medical Center, Lexington
Federal Medical Center, Lexington
The Federal Medical Center, Lexington is a federal prison in Lexington, Kentucky housing 1,464 male inmates at high security and 296 female inmates at a low security camp.-History:...
.
Repatriation
On August 24, 1999, upon an agreement reached between the Department of JusticeUnited States Department of Justice
The United States Department of Justice , is the United States federal executive department responsible for the enforcement of the law and administration of justice, equivalent to the justice or interior ministries of other countries.The Department is led by the Attorney General, who is nominated...
and the Italian Ministry of Justice (headed at the time by Mr. Oliviero Diliberto
Oliviero Diliberto
Oliviero Diliberto is an Italian politician. He is the current leader of the Party of Italian Communists.- Early life :...
, a member of the Party of Italian Communists
Party of Italian Communists
The Party of Italian Communists is a communist political party in Italy. Its long-time leader is Oliviero Diliberto.-Foundation and early years:...
), she was transferred to Italy to serve the remainder of her sentence. The terms of the transfer called for her to remain in Italian prison until March 2008. In 2001, she was released on house arrest, permitted to work for the City of Rome between 9 a.m. to 2 p.m each day. She was released from detention on September 26, 2006, thanks to a general pardon law
Pardon
Clemency means the forgiveness of a crime or the cancellation of the penalty associated with it. It is a general concept that encompasses several related procedures: pardoning, commutation, remission and reprieves...
approved in the previous months by the Italian Parliament. That happened despite the agreement with the Government of the United States which stated that she had to remain in prison until 2008.