Ismail Shabazz Legal Defense Fund

Dear friends of justice:

Ismail Shabazz, long-time community activist and advocate in Ulster County, has been arrested and indicted by the Ulster County grand jury.  We don't know the details of all the charges and we may never know the truth without your help.

We know Ismail is presumed innocent and is entitled to his day in court.

It is clear from the charges and the District Attorney's press release that the testimony of paid and coerced informants are at the heart of these charges.  We believe that Ismail was set up-entrapped based on his turbulent relationship history with the mayor, police chief, and the district attorney in Kingston. 

Many of you stood with Ismail inside of New Progressive Baptist Church to participate in a recent public forum with the mayor, police chief, and district attorney.  The dialogue at that forum clearly demonstrated significant differences between the community and the city officials concerning a host of issues, including police corruption and injustice.

We are appealing to each of you to stand with Ismail and his family to ensure he and his family get the support they need and to ensure him a fair trial.  Both Judge Donnie Williams and District Attorney Holley Carnright have long standing personal antagonism for Ismail.  For a low income family like the Shabazz's to mount a defense against the combined power of City, County, State, and Federal law enforcement is overwhelming.  Without quality legal representation Ismail will be forced to accept a plea and he will not be able to present a defense.

What we currently know:

• The Ulster County Grand Jury handed down a 16 count indictment alleging 6 counts of selling weapons to an FBI informant from May 2014 to May 2015 on 4 different occasions.

• 9 counts of criminal possession of weapons

• 1 count endangering the welfare of a child during one sale of an illegal weapon.

Several of the local clergy and family members have been to see him. By all accounts he's holding his own, but he is growing understandably impatient  to get out.  He is experiencing severe back pain and they are not giving him his medicine. 

Organizing efforts

Over thirty Mid-Hudson citizens pledged on Saturday July 11th  to ask over one hundred of their friends, family, and circles of acquaintances to donate generously. Funds are comming in but we need your help.

Bail & Attorney fees fundraising 

The Shabazz family have pledged assets toward the $100,000 bond needed to secure Ismail’s release but still need $6,000 for the bondsman fees.

Next steps and how you can help

• We still need $3,000 immediately to secure continued competent representation.
• We need an additional $6,000 to secure Ismail’s release on Bond so he may participate in his defense.
• Then we will need an additional $15,000 over the next six months to pay for the legal defense through trial.

Ismail, his family, and justice need your help!  Please donate now and ask others to do the same. 

Thank you,

Sy B. FitzGerald

for Ismail and the Shabazz family.