09.25.06 FAMED HUMAN RIGHTS LEADER REV. AL SHARPTON JOINS FREE TEMPO CAMPAIGN
Latin star’s case exposes the government’s excessive use of the conspiracy law
The Reverend Al Sharpton, a well known human rights advocate, pledges to use his voice to seek freedom for Tempo and others wrongly convicted under the government’s conspiracy drug law.
Free Tempo is a non-partisan education and advocacy campaign dedicated to seeking timely justice for David Sanchez Badillo a.k.a., Tempo. The group’s mission is to build support for a state and federal review of the circumstances that led to the wrongful imprisonment of Tempo and to work towards his release from federal prison. Reverend Sharpton’s visit is part of the Free Tempo campaign’s effort to educate the people on the life of Tempo and organize and army of supporters to fight for his release.
Rev. Sharpton, whose course as human rights advocate dates as far back as 1971, said, “Tempo’s case and the circumstances surrounding his imprisonment is something that is unfortunately all to common amongst people of color in the United States. I will always be supportive of a campaign seeking justice for the wrongly imprisoned. His plight and that of millions of young Latinos and African Americans who listen to his music is something I care very deeply about.”
Tempo, is currently serving his fourth year of a 24 1/2 year sentence in federal prison. He was charged with and later convicted under conspiracy drug laws with the distribution of all of the known quantities of heroin in Puerto Rico. Tempo was not “busted”, there was no seizure and the government did not present one piece of hard evidence against him at trial. It is a simple case of injustice that, but for the grace of God could happen to any one of us.
Rev. Sharpton and other top criminal justice advocates are expected to hold a November event in New York to educate the public on the government’s excessive use of the conspiracy law. Sharpton said, “There is nothing more powerful than the truth. I’m looking forward to working with the Free Tempo campaign to ensure that everyone understands how and why the government has failed to prosecute the true offenders in its war on drugs.