I called the 8th Circuit Court and they told me that Zimmermann did not appeal his conviction to the U.S. Supreme Court. He had 3 months to appeal and didn't bother... that seriously undermines his supporters' claim that Zimmermann was a "political prisoner" and was "framed"
If Zimmermann was indeed a political prisoner, the video and audio evidence would exonerate Zimmermann. However, his supporters have yet to call for the FBI to allow the public to see the evidence as I have done.
Here is the complete text of the letter Zimmermann sent to The Alley. While you read it, ask yourself if it sounds like the sort of letter a political prisoner would write.
Greetings to All A letter from Dean Zimmermann
It has been just over a year that I have been incarcerated here in "Camp Fluffy", as we affectionately call the Federal Prison Camp-Englewood in Littleton, Colorado. Perhaps the two best things to come out of the experience is that I have had a lot of time to get a lot of books read and I have been able to lose 40 pounds, I'm still working on losing 20 more. I also have had a chance to see my son, Klaus, on a weekly basis as he lives and works here in Denver. My stay here has been made much easier by the support, visits, letters, and books and magazines, that so many of you have sent me, thank you! But especially by the faithful and loving support of my dear wife, Jenny, with whom I speak daily on the phone.
This whole ordeal has been harder on her than anyone,including me, for as I sit here cut off and unable to be of any help to community and family, Jenny hasbeen burdened with the onerous task of keeping our Clinton Ave home and our former home at 17th Avenue together as well as taking care of my brother, Doug, who has had some major medical problems this last year (including his current stint in Abbott-NW Hospital, and Walker Methodist Health Care Center where he resides at this time). I want to offer my deepest thank you's to all who have been supportive of Jenny during these trying times.
All in all, I guess the best way to characterize my experience at the prison is: waste. It is a huge waste of resources, lives and time; and for what? So a few politicians can claim bragging rights that they are tougher on crime than their opponents or some FBI agent can earn a promotion by inventing a crime with which he can con someone into committing unwittingly. After listening to the stories of many of my fellow inmates this is not at all an uncommon occurrence. Did I mention that it is also a big waste of taxpayer's money? The U.S. has 5% of the world's population and 25% of the world's prisons. And to think the U.S. is called the Land of the Free.
But my stay here in Colorado will soon be coming to an end. On July 10th of this year I am to check into the Volunteers of America half-way house in Minneapolis, E. Lake St. & 29th Ave. So., for the last 6 months of my sentence. The purpose of the half-way house is to help people transitioning into regular life when they are leaving prison. My term at the half-way house is six months, ending on January 5, 2009, and then I'll start my 3 years of probation. As soon as I have a job and have worked a 40 hour week I will be eligible to go home on week-end passes. (After 1-2 inspections of our Clinton Ave home by the Feds and assuming it passes their inspections.) After a few more weeks, if all works out as it should, I can be eligible for "Home Confinement," which means I must be at my house except for going to work, religious services, AA meetings, or a few other pre-approved excursions.
The ability for me to get weekend passes and ultimately "Home Confinement" status is dependent upon my getting a job. They will not let me be self-employed during my 6 month term at the halfway house, but never fear I have a job offer that will allow me to resume my home repair work starting July 13th. There are still some details to be worked out so I don't want to say just yet who I'll be working for, but for any of you who have been putting off needed home repairs until I return, contact Jenny either with a phone call or an e-mail message and as soon as I return I'll be in touch with you. I have good skills in carpentry, plumbing, electrical work, roofing, sheetrocking, etc. and look forward to being of service to my former Jack of All Trades customers as well as new folks.
After January 5th, 2009 I want to gradually turn the focus of my home repair business in the direction of retrofitting older/preexisting homes for solar heating, both hot water and space heating, and installation of photo voltaic solar panels for the production of electricity for homes and small businesses. I am not sure yet how this will work and will be looking for people to partner with me in this endeavor. For the past 10-11 months I have found enlightenment through the "Zen of Dishwashing." However, that practice will be ending soon as I have found a new job being an orderly for the Education Room, a job that will take up significantly less time and allow me to do more reading, planning, and correspondence (Dan Scott: I sent you a letter in November but never heard back from you--?).
In my reading I have focused a lot on history. Everything from the early settlement of the Upper Midwest by European immigrants, to the spread of humans out of Africa some 50,000 years ago. The best book I have read is "Guns, Germs and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared Diamond. It is a history of the past 13,000 years in just 450 pages, and gives deep insight into how it came to be that Europe conquered and developed worldwide empires rather than say China, or the Incas, or some other group doing so. And it is done in a 100% non-racist analysis. A book that gives a look into a little unknown bit of regional history is: "Land In Her Own Name: Women As Homesteaders in North Dakota," by H. Elaine who walk upright, consider that it will cost us far more to steal Iraq's oil than the fair price which might have been. So, it seems the smarter you are the dumber you can be. Lindgren. It gives documentation and shares stories of some 300 women (though there were thousands) who homesteaded in North Dakota. It was an eye opener for me. I knew that my great-grandmother homesteaded, but I thought that she was an exception, not so. I have also been reading about meditation and doing some meditation something new for me.
I have been reading about dreams and have begun writing down my dreams every night in a journal. My goal is to learn how to do "Lucid Dreaming" technique that allows one to be aware that one is dreaming while they are dreaming. It is easy to wake up and look back and see how absurd
the dream was and to know that it was a dream, but to actually stay aware inside the dream and to keep the dream going while knowing it is a dreamÉthat I have not yet achievedÉbut soon I hope.
I have also become an expert rat trapper and have taken it upon myself to set traps every night in the kitchen and am averaging about one rat per night. With the coming of Spring comes softball and I hope to be an umpire once again for the camp softball league. So far we have had one pickup gameÉ eat your hearts out you snow-bound Minnesotans :-) Besides softball umpiring, with my new job I will have time to work out twice a day in the weight room and on the track. Right now I do power-walking with some running for one hour every day, but soon I'll be able to do two one-hour sessions every day. I have also been attending Narcotics Anonymous once a week as part of my self-improvement program. So, although being in prison is a huge bother, I feel that it has given me a chance to slow down and tweek my priorities and to come out a better, more rounded person. I look forward to being back in Minneapolis, only 4 months and a few days to go. And I look forward to being fully integrated into the community by January 5, 2009. Again, many thanks to all for your letters, books, love, visits, and prayers, and for your support of Jenny. The goal is still to build a world environment and infrastructure, locally and globally, that is capable of sustaining your great-great-grandchildren, anything short of that is rearranging the chairs on the deck of the Titanic.
Peace and love,
Dean Zimmermann
Gary D. Zimmermann,
#12696-041
FCI Englewood/Satellite Camp
9595 W. Quincy Avenue
Littleton, CO 80123
It will be interesting if Zimmermann's "goal... to build a world environment and infrastructure" still includes this:
