Jeff Fort Loses Bid for Freedom
Jeff Fort, leader of the Black P. Stone Nation, was last seen as a freeman in the late 1980s. Forty years of his life has been spent in solitary confinement of a federal supermax prison in Colorado. Fort wanted to appeal his sentencing, stating that he’s a grandfather who wanted to be there for his family.
He wrote a plea for his release to a federal judge in Chicago. The plea invoked under the First Step Act, it allowed reduced sentences for older or ill prisoners in bad condition. District Judge of the United States, John Tharp, declined Fort’s request. Because of his offering to bomb buildings for $2 million from Libya’s Leader Muammar Qaddafi, Tharp demanded that Fort serves his 80 year sentence. While he did time inside a federal prison in Texas for drug trafficking, he sent calls to lieutenants of the Black P. Stones directing their next moves.
Most of his time has been spent at an maximum security prison in Florence, Colorado. He’s never had close contact with other inmates through all of his years spent in prison. Phone conversations with lawyers or family were Fort’s only form of contact. Jeff Fort had an aim to kill marking himself the most dangerous for profit. Now he completes classes given to prisoners for positive development. The government wants to assure that Fort has zero negative intentions for his release and intends to be a gentle grandparent who shows affection to his grandchildren.
Fort’s Fight for Freedom
Fort’s bid was deemed “quixotic.” If he wants to meet his freedom, he’d have to decrease his 75-year sentence for ordering the hit of a rival in 1981.
Activist Ameena Matthews, Fort’s daughter, continues to fight for her father and his early release from prison. Matthews wants to make sure her father is okay because of the corona restrictions and strict security of the supermax prison keeping her from communicating with him. However, its been like this for them since before the pandemic.
Peace and the Old days
Matthews looks at her father as a great and caring community leader who could push forward peace to the violent neighborhoods he once took over. She sees an educator in him who could teach and peacefully guide the youth now and bring less gun violence to the city of Chicago.
Fort’s work from back in the day competed with one of his rivals, founder of the Gangster Disciples, Larry Hoover. As of now, both Fort and Hoover are serving time at ADX Florence in Colorado. Hoover’s respected reputation remains in the prison but Fort has spaced out from the spotlight.
By Kam’ron Stinson
Chicago Sun Times: Former Chicago gang kingpin Jeff Fort loses First Step Act bid for freedom after 40 years in prison
WN.com: Jeff Fort, ex-Chicago gang kingpin, loses bid to be freed under First Step Act after …
Chicago Gang History: Black P. Stones
Top and Featured Image Courtesy of Arvell Dorsey Jr.‘s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Inset Image Courtesy of Michael Kappel‘s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
