On February 1st, 1985, the Sons of Light, a KKK-splinter group of guards at the Indiana State Reformatory (now Pendleton Correctional Facility) sparked a prisoner rebellion with their brutal beating of defenseless prisoner Lincoln Love. According to a subsequent lawsuit, the white supremacist guards, armed with illegal billy clubs “maliciously held [Love] down and unmercifully stomped and kicked the inmate all over his body and hit the inmate upon and about his upper body and head with nightsticks.” In a successful attempt to save his life, a politicized group of prisoners led by John “Balagoon” Cole and Christopher “Naeem” Trotter demanded entrance to the locked office where Lokmar was in chains & being beaten nearly to death. The Sons of Light turned & attacked them. As a result, the prisoners took hostages and occupied a cell block for 15 hours, demanding an end to censorship of letters, the ability to be politically active, minimum wages, and improvements to conditions so bad a court had deemed them “cruel and unusual punishment.” John “Balagoon” Cole and Christopher “Naeem” Trotter were punished severely by the state for their sacrifice in saving a human life, receiving the sentences of 84 and 142 years respectively, with both held in solitary confinement for decades. Now they are both seniors facing major medical issues due to DOC neglect. Yet, the white supremacist gang of guards that instigated it all, the Sons of Light, have been ignored for the last 37 years.
Naeem & Balagoon
Christopher “Naeem” Trotter
As a young man, Naeem served 4 years in the United States Armed Services only to return home in 1983 and catch a case for his first ever offense, petty theft. He was sentenced to 4 years at the maximum-security Indiana State Reformatory. He was 3 months away from being released and was looking forward to reuniting with his family and meeting his newborn daughter when he stood up to save his friend in the 1985 Pendleton Uprising. He was sentenced to 142 years, 20 of which he endured in solitary confinement. In 2021 his sentence was vacated, however, the resentencing judge stated that he “had to protect his brothers” (the Sons of Light) and handed Naeem a new sentence of 122 years. Naeem is a mentor to younger prisoners and is an avid chess player.
John “Balagoon” Cole
Balagoon was born in Indianapolis, IN on November 17th, 1959. He was sent to Indiana State Prison (Michigan City) in 1979 where he was politicized by other prisoners and was subsequently transferred to the Indiana State Reformatory in 1984. For his role in the 1985 Uprising, he was sentenced to 84 years, 32 of which he endured in solitary confinement.
The Defense Committee to Free the Pendleton 2
The Defense Committee formed in 2022 to push for the release of Naeem and Balagoon. Composed of friends and family of the P2, local activists, members of IDOC Watch and the Black Myths Podcast, the Defense Committee raises legal funds, materially supports the P2 when necessary, holds documentary screenings and works to educate, mobilize, and organize around the issue of the Pendleton 2 and of all political prisoners,
Our Demands
We, the Defense Committee to Free the Pendleton 2, demand:
1.
The immediate release of John “Balagoon” Cole and Christopher “Naeem” Trotter from Indiana Department of Correction (IDOC) custody.
2.
The immediate release of all incarcerated seniors and all medically vulnerable
3.
The immediate release of all political prisoners.
4.
A Federal investigation into the IDOC-condoned white supremacist guard gang, the Sons of Light.
5.
A Federal investigation into formal and informal affiliations and activity of white supremacist guards in the IDOC.
FREE THE PENDLETON 2 