Bill Dunne is an anarchist political prisoner who has been incarcerated for almost 45 years now; since 1979. Bill was sentenced to 90 years for aiding in an escape attempt in downtown Seattle and since that arrest he has lived in some of the most draconian prisons in the United States.
In 1982 he was sent from the Washington state system to the federal system and landed in the United States Penitentiary (USP) in Lewisburg, PA. The following year he tried to escape from that particular USP and was given an additional 15 years onto his sentence and 7 and a half were to be spent in the control units at USP Marion, IL. After he did his time at Marion and up until recently he has been in quite a few maximum security penitentiaries in the federal prison system, until 2014 when he was transferred to medium security facilities in California.
Bill was recently diagnosed with cancer. Due to his condition he was recently transferred from Victorville FCI in southern California to the federal prison systems medical facility in Butner, NC. He has been demanding for over a year to be transferred to get treatment, so him being moved there is a success. However, it is still unclear when the treatment will begin.
Anarchist and all revolutionaries have a responsibility to support our political prisoners, particularly when they are going through difficult times. Bill, however, is a unique and special example. In 2000, after serving 21 years in prison Bill the parole board gave Bill another 15 years. Then, in an exceptional act of cruelty, in 2014 he was given another 15 year hit. Even in December the Biden regime denied Bill’s appeal for clemency. The reason cited for this barbaric treatment was that Bill continues to maintain communication and is “continuing association and affiliation with anarchist organizations,” which was, “evidence [he] still harbor anti-authoritarian views.”
We are encouraging comrades to write to Bill and send him revolutionary greetings. We have to keep our political captives on our shoulders and let the world know that their struggles are ours and we rise and fall together.
Here’s his new address:
Bill Dunne # 10916-086
FMC Butler
PO Box 1600
Butner, NC
27509