Steven Stewart

Steven Stewart and I have known each other since I started this work. For awhile ,I stopped visiting and writing to him because I could not watch his mental and physical deterioration and continue this work. We as a coalition had shot our wad trying to help him and had learned painfully how little we could really do to help. . Lately, Steven and I  have renewed our friendship in the agknowlegement that that is all we can be to each other- friends , and me a witness. I can sometimes help but I cannot save him . Only he can do that. With documents I have and his words and my memories, We will begin to tell his story .

He is just beginning to tell the details of his arrest and conviction. This is good for him and a prisoner close to him is also writing him . He would enjoy a card or letter from a blog reader also. It all helps him get connected once again. .


April 4, 2010
Steven Stewart #148599
WSPF: PO Box 9900
Boscobel, Wi 53805


I will continue to tell my story. I will not confess to a crime I never committed. I was framed up by the powers of Jim and Jenny Crow, you see slavery help convict me and Jim and Jenny Crow is why I am still the victim of incarceration. In the beginning of my incarceration I was arrested on April 9th, at 2:35 PM 1987. I was taken to the Milwaukee Police Department first district. I was transferred to the Milwaukee Sherriff Department and yes, I do have the Police reports top back up my words. I was released from the jail April 13th, 1987. They say a murder had happened on April 10th, 1987. But I couldn’t have done it because I was already locked up. When you are labeled a Black man and the power that be label themselves as white men. I was arrested again on May30th 1987 for first degree murder. I went to my preliminary hearing and the witness did not identify me , I was bound over for trial because of the time corruption. I was offered 10 years to plead guilty, when I refused to take the plea that wasn’t a bargain they let me to understand what happens when you do not go along with the system.

I did not take the deal for two reasons: One, I am not guilty . Two: If I woul dhave pleaded guilty, I could still get 30 years because on Wisconsin a plea bargain isn’t a plea bargain because the judge doesn’t have to go along with the agreement. That’s not really a plea bargain. My attorney and I didn’t see eye to eye and I told him that I didn’t commit that crime and that I was already in the city and county jail. Both the Milwaukee Police Department and Milwaukee Sherriff Department had me in custody on April 9th, 1987. On December 5th 1988, a hearing was held to determine whether I was incarcerated or not. We proved that I was arrested and incarcerated on April 9th, 1987. The bailiff who wasn’t sworn in or had nothing to do with the case gave his opinion on what he believed could have happened in the sheriff department as to why they couldn’t explain if I was released from the sheriff dept or not so the bailiff spoke up and gave his opinion and not a fact! He, the bailiff of Sherriff Department of the Court room said “ your honor, in a situation where is was over crowded the warrants was probably went back and the Defendant was probably released”.. not a fact.

Keep in mind I was arrested talking on the phone at the corner of 20th and Juneau St. , Milwaukee, Wisconsin. I was arrested by the Milw police Department on what they say is two city commitment warrants. There is no way that you can be released without seeing the judge. So I was forced to stand trial. Now here is what really strange my own attorney told the judge on the records that he didn’t want my attorney because he really didn’t wanna understand race relations. Keep in mind, Milwaukee had no minorities in the court business –okay, maybe one. And the police Department Judges, district attorneys and lawyers, my attorney on December 5th, 1988 was Peter Donahue. He didn’t want to be my attorney and I didn’t want him to be my attorney. Keep in mind my attorney Clifford Steele was remove from my case. And I was given Peter Donahue, Judge Gardner said he was satisfied and the bogus trial started.


In the jury pool, Maybe 3 African Americans- they certainly didn’t choose them to sit on the jury and no other minority people of color was on the jury pool. The same old bureaucracy routine- try and convict a so called Blackman, since he’s been labeled Black man, he must have done it, and I never gave a verbal or a written consent for anyone to say I murdered someone, people tried to say this saying they may let me out of prisons. I been incarcerated since 19896-87.


I was framed up and I got some evidence but they, the law enforcements, have all of the evidence to clear my name. My family have not helped me because of being programmed by Jim crow Laws. Stay in your place and that’s something that they have never forgotten. I was convicted , but there is plenty of reasonable doubt. The law says a person must be convicted beyond a reasonable doubt, let there be no doubt about it. I can’t speak about something I didn’t do. I just went through the same situation in Grant County Wisconsin of being accused of a crime they know I didn’t commit. Same all white people in Charge . Different locations, only this time I was found NOT GUILTY. We have been going about this situation all wrong. I am being held in segregation over 20 years because they say I killed two people in Milwaukee. The DOC is committing extreme defamation of my name and character. They claim I have been incarcerated 4 times. This is a bold lie. They claim I have no medical problems. I have not been outside not even 50 times in over 14 years straight. I been locked up close to 24 years. Counting County jail time in a recent case ( Remedy Ordered for Unconstitutional treatment of lifers , see: Foster- Bey et al- vs -Samson et al that the Michigan parole boards’ treatment of parolable lifers who committed their crimes before October 1992 violated ex post facto clause of the United States. Before this, a prisoner with a life sentence who behave well and rehabilitated himself ,only served between 15 to 18 years in prison . What makes a Wisconsin’s prisoners different from prisoners in other states? I am filing civil action asking for immediate release or parole. I should have been out of prison> But due to lies and extreme racial hatred buy the Jim Crow staff of th awi DOC, it is hard for me to even get medical treatment.