Last Monday, October 15, 2012, was the seventh anniversary of the anti-NSM riots in Toledo, Ohio as well as the last day for replies to preauthorization motion responses in the cases against Melissa Hack, Ross Hack, and Leland Jones.  All three were arrested in connection with the July 1998 murder of Anti-Racist Action members Daniel Shersty and Lin “Spit” Newborn. This month is important for us in Anti-Racist Action (ARA) because it reminds of us our past victories as well as those we’ve lost.

In February, the Hacks and Leland Jones were indicted in Las Vegas. These three individuals comprise the second wave of arrests in connection with these murders. Melissa Hack is the ex-girlfriend of John “Polar Bear” Butler, tried and convicted in 2001 for his part in the murders, and the sister of Ross Hack. These names are not new to us. We’ve been aware of the Hack siblings involvement in the murder of our friends since 1998.  So has the LVPD.

ARA is calling for antifa to pack the courtroom in support of Daniel Shersty and Lin “Spit” Newborn and their families at the trial of Melissa Hack, Ross Hack, and Leland Jones on November 1, 2013 in Las Vegas. Although we as a network do not seek justice via the cops or the courts, our presence there is important not only to let the Shersty and Newborn families know that their sons did not die in vain, but to show that antifascists are still here and will continue to be here fighting racism, fascism, and bigotry until we win.

The indictment of Melissa Hack, Ross Hack, and Leland Jones can be found here, and a portion of the complex case schedule can be found here.