Dear Friends,

On Friday, February 19, the government filed their reply brief to Eric's appeal. The document they filed was 90 pages long - 90 pages of lies and slander in their continued effort to demonize Eric and justify their own inhumanity in locking a person in prison for 20 years for "thought crime." The document is full of continued attacks on Eric's character as well as misrepresentations and lies about the actual unfolding of events. All of this, combined with outrageous distortions of the law, make the government's reply a rather distasteful read. But, for those of you who are interested in such sour fare, we are posting a copy of the reply brief on Eric's website in the documents section. We recommend keeping something sweet nearby. Or perhaps something to settle the stomach.

As painful as this document was to read, we are incredibly relieved that it has been filed. Eric's lawyer now has 2 weeks to file his final response. We are hopeful that this will happen on time, as every delay means that much more time that Eric spends in prison unnecessarily. This response will be the last document that needs to be filed for the appeal. Then we begin the wait for the court's response. Unfortunately, this could be a very long wait.

In the meantime, we want to urge you all to please not forget about Eric! He still needs your support in his struggle for freedom. One of the most important ways you can support Eric is to donate to his support fund. We have some money set aside in case we have expenses to cover in the event of a new trial, but the money that we use to keep up the website and help pay for my visits with Eric are quickly running out. These visits are incredibly important to us and help us maintain some sanity in this insane situation.

Eric is currently being held in Victorville, CA - which is almost 7 hours from where I live. Renting a car and paying for gas is incredibly expensive, and it's a cost I just can't carry on my own. The support Eric has received from all of you over the last four years has been amazing, and we are more than thankful for all you have done. Eric has shown a steadfast, unwavering commitment to do the right thing and fight the outrageous charges against him, despite facing severe repercussions for that decision. Please consider making a donation to support him, however small. Every tiny bit helps. Keeping our connections with each other in situations like this is absolutely essential. The state has tried to sever Eric's connections to his family and communities. They know that this is where our strength lies. Our visits together are a very powerful tool in fighting the isolation and loneliness that prison can bring and in keeping each other strong. Please consider donating to help us keep these connections with each other.

To donate to Eric's support fund, you can visit the "Help" section on his website and use the PayPal link to donate online. If you would rather not use PayPal (which we completely understand), please email us and we will let you know how to send a check or money order.

Thanks to everyone for staying with Eric these last four years.

Yours,

jenny (Eric's partner)/SPS