MEDIA ADVISORY
Contact: Geri Silva gerifacts@sbcglobal.net
FACTS Executive Director
213/746-4844; cell - 310/365-3319
David Losa cell: 805/637-1009
Van Driver Ryan Plant - cell: 805 895-8017Lone Cyclist on “Do-or-Die” Quest for Justice
http://www.facts1.com/blog/2005/06/david-losas-3000-mile-bicycle-ride.html1st Report
Who: David Losa, a history buff at University of California will ride for his brother, Doug, who was sent to prison under California’s Three Strikes law, sentenced to 26-years-to-life. RyanWhat: A send-off celebration in Santa Barbara on July 8, 2005, launched David Losa's “do or die” 3,000-mile bicycle cross-country crusade. In Santa Barbara CA, David was surrounded by supporters, including Santa Barbara Mayor Marty Bloom. This is a cross-country crusade that will take Losa from Santa Barbara to Washington DC. David expects to cover 100 miles per day.
Why: Of the more than two million people currently in America’s prisons, nearly one in four are serving time on a nonviolent drug charge. David’s brother, Doug, is one of 4,200 nonviolent Third Strikers in California prisons destined to spend their lives behind bars because they have a drug problem. He has been in prison since 1996.
Nationwide, nearly half a million people are in prison on drug charges despite the fact that the voters of New Mexico secured $150,000 to expand pharmaceutical treatment for opiate addiction in New Mexico prisons, gave felons back the right to vote and with overwhelming bipartisan support, gave seriously ill patients the right to use medicinal marijuana. Losa’s goal is to help save the lives of the one in four nonviolent American prisoners who have been incarcerated on drug charges, including his kid brother, Doug, who is serving a 26 year-to-life sentence for possession of a trace amount of methamphetamine.
David will be riding his bike in a prison jumpsuit with his brother’s name and prison number written on the back. Supporters will greet him as he arrives at each city. At each stop on his journey, David will stay in the home of someone who currently has a loved in prison because of America’s “War on Drugs.”
He will cycle 100 miles a day for 30 days. His route will take him to Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, Kingman, Flagstaff, Gallup, Albuquerque, Amarillo, Oklahoma City, Little Rock, Montgomery, Atlanta, Greensboro, Charlotte, and Washington.
He will arrive in the nation’s capitol on August 13 to join the Journey for Justice March calling for criminal justice reform.To interview David and Ryan on the road
Email cottry@sbcglobal.net or call 805-637-1009 or 805-895-8017.
DAVID'S DAILY JOURNAL FROM THE ROAD - SECOND REPORTDAILY JOURNAL ON PATRICK CRUSADE (PDF)
Support David's Ride (PDF)
http://www.facts1.com/blog/docs/davids_ride_sign_up.pdf
. . . . . and the fight goes on
Join people from all over the country in Washington, DC on August 13th for the
first ever national outcry against over-incarceration in America. Go to www.journeyforjustice.org for rides, events, and all the details.
