Ciggyfree Blog

robbster 25 Apr 2007 05:51 am

Appeal For Eric Volz

9 Responses to “Appeal For Eric Volz”

1. on 30 May 2007 at 1:51 pm 1.Letters from Eric said …

   Eric Update - May 29
   Day 189

   The following letter from Eric is one in a series that we will be posting. You will notice by the date he mentions that it takes some time to get correspondence to him.

   With regard to the appeal, we have no official information from the Appellate Court as to a date for the hearing. The case file is over 500 pages and is apparently taking the magistrates a significant amount of time to make their analysis and prepare for the hearing.

   Please continue to pray for Eric; for his health and well-being. He is in the 7th month of this ordeal and, as you can imagine, it is very taxing for him.

   Brothers and Sisters,

   I have just received and finished reading all the letters of support off the web site from April 14-23, the process to get the letters to me always keeps me weeks behind.

   WOW!!! The response has been amazing and it seems that the awareness around my struggle has grown tremendously. I’m almost completely isolated from the day-to-day work of those working for my freedom, so the letters, apart from being extremely uplifting, are also very informative. Your messages give me a sense of where this story is in the public sphere. The letters cover a variety of subjects and there are many good questions. I am providing my responses in a series of letters to the most common themes.

   The letters are so full of life and wisdom. Often times I get one that just drives so true that I have to stop reading, put the letter down, close my eyes and become overwhelmed as my heart races with energy and excitement. No matter how small the note or brief the message, they all relieve the tightness of my surroundings and the length of days. I can’t wait to meet all of you, my new friends, someday. You are a huge inspiration!! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

   I thought I might start by writing a bit about who you are - since you are now part of the story. Who is writing? Who are all these people that care so much? I get letters from all walks of life. A lot of parents, college students, many Latinos, Nicaraguans and Nicaraguan-Americans, Mexican-Americans, travelers and foreigners who have spent time in Nicaragua, soldiers in Iraq, people from a wide variety of religions, of course my family & friends, and even others in prisons.

   The letters are sent from all over the world; all 50 states, China, Tibet, Egypt, Australia, Germany, Venezuela, all over Latin America and the Caribbean, and many from Nicaragua. The letters have become one of the most amazing parts of this journey for me.

   EP Magazine was brainstorming a fun campaign called, “Citizens of the Planet”. We were thinking about inserting some sort of paper passport cover that would sport the official seal of “Planet Earth”. Readers could wrap their normal passport in the ” Citizen of the Planet” sleeve and present it proudly when they traveled to express their global perspective. The gesture was simple; there are those that feel patriotic about the planet as a whole, not just their own nation - kind of a “One Love” spin-off, ya know. Anyway, it never happened, partly due to the expense, but the campaign seemed to favor the more affluent class who can afford to travel, excluding those who cannot. Maybe we can figure out a way to make it work in the future, right?!

   Despite the variety of people and places, there is a common trait revealed in the letters, that is, most of those who are touched and/or affected by this are those who care deeply about the value of cultural diversity and international cooperation. This has been the presiding issue of my work and focus; it is the very thing that brought me to Nicaragua.

   There are many people of great character and integrity here. Several have diligently supported me and spoken of my innocence. I’m forever grateful to these people. I still have a lot of love for Nicaragua and it sucks that once I get outta here I won’t be able to come back from a long time; if ever.

   On the flip side, I have also received letters generalizing negatively about North Americans. Although support for me has emerged from all over the world, the concentration is most visible from the US. The United States is a nation of complexity and great diversity. Its population is not made up of all ‘gringos’ either, as some have stated. Recently, Latinos have become the predominate minority, prime-time TV shows and advertisements are being produced in Spanish, and one of the largest populations of Nicaraguans outside this country is in Miami.

   From where I stand, I see this as a classic example of cross-cultural misunderstanding as people stereotype and oversimplify the elements at play. This misunderstanding has also been fueled by press coverage (both English & Spanish) flirting with controversial headlines and tones.

   The other common trait in many of the letters is that what stirs you about Doris’ murder, my captivity and what connects all of you with each other is a passion for justice. It is not only justice with regard to the rule of law, but the very essence of justice and that is a sense of “just-ness”. You are a community of like-minded people that want to see things made right because you care about things that matter.

   It is important to me that people keep in mind that I’m not the first, nor will I unfortunately be the last, to fall victim to this kind of injustice. Nor is the story of my journey any more or less important than anyone else’s. Sometimes it even feels strange allocating resources toward my defense when so many others are in need of the same. I can only tell my story because it is simple the best source of data I have. My hope is that truth and understanding can be achieved by sharing the details.

   I will recycle a quote from one of my support letters to drive this point home; “Eric, I will say that while I know this case is a personal one for you, it brings to light the importance of understanding that these sorts of things happen to many people all over the world, and while your case serves as a spotlight to bring this sort of situation to our attention, we should not forget that many have been unjustly accused and jailed; their lives spent hopelessly caged for no real reason.”

   She is right. This struggle is not just for me, it is the fight for those wrongly accused around the world. And although I’m suffering and every part of me aches for freedom, I feel blessed to be a part of this “spotlight” story. This is where I have found much peace and strength.

   We must always stay clear, stay strong, and hold to what is real and true. No matter how long we are in chains, I believe it is only a fraction of the time we have been promised to spend with the King.

   Please continue to write! Your messages give me hope!!!

   With love,

   Eric V.

2. on 08 Jun 2007 at 12:06 am 2.Letters From Eric said …

   Eric Update - June 8, 2007
   Day#199

   Help comes in so many forms… even in the form of a ‘perfect stranger’…

   This is the sort of thing we take such hope and joy from - one of the greatest benefits of the MySpace community is the way that people spread the word to friends.

   A perfect stranger in Kansas City, MO saw a bulletin about Eric on one of her friends sites. The site had a link to the Eric video on a Myspace page. She was a total stranger at first…with no connection to Eric, but after seeing the YouTube video she felt compelled to do what she could to help raise funds and awareness on Eric’s behalf.

   So, she has organized a benefit concert on June 14th in Kansas City, MO at The Brick. The show starts at 10 pm, $7 cover. If you’re in the area, please go and introduce yourself to a perfectly wonderful, total stranger who’s now a welcomed friend of Eric Volz… thanks to MySpace.

   Saturday, June 9 will be Day #200 of this ordeal for Eric

   Eric is energized by the updates he receives as regularly as we can get them to him. The updates include blog postings, stories from media surrounding his case, reports from the US, Nicaragua and other countries…world news reports, and every letter from every one of you across the planet who continue to be so faithful to write.

   As we wait with you for news of the appeal, Eric will be writing updates. Please keep writing to him. Please stay engaged and tuned in to http://www.myspace/freeericvolz for media updates and postings.

   Eric’s letter, part 2

   The US & International Media

   I have been informed that my case has “officially hit mainstream international media” as one email mentioned. I have mixed feelings about this and had hoped that things would not grow to this level. Regardless of how the press is telling the story, they are telling it and it is bringing awareness to the case. For that I’m grateful because I know that it is helping to reveal the truth. I would like to thank those who have reported with integrity and professionalism.

   I have limited comprehension of what the media has done with this story so I can only comment on the articles that I have read and the briefings I have received from my team. I have not seen any TV segments or heard radio segments. I have only read a few of the main periodicals and transcripts.

   I must say it is very strange for me to sit alone in my cell and read how total strangers interpret who Doris Jimenez was and who I am. At first, I had this naïve idea that once the international press started to investigate the story they would contrast the way the local Nicaraguan media had been manipulating and filtering the facts to shift the agenda. After the first articles came out I realized I was wrong. The international media had all the facts but chose to present the story in a way that did little to exonerate me. That said, there are journalists and news programs that have a done a decent job, and some have done a great job.

   I was told recently that reporting on my case has become much more focused on the facts of the case and on my innocence. I’m happy to report that even here there seems to be a slight turn in the press in that media here is starting to question the initial assumptions about my case and investigate the holes in the accusations against me.

   In some of the letters there has been some anger and dislike expressed towards Nicaragua for what has happened. Although I’m grateful for the support, this is not the right approach and I would like to challenge these people to reconsider their perspective.

   From my perspective, Nicaragua remains a beautiful and unique country. This hasn’t changed because of what has happened to me. Just like any country, there remain social and economic challenges and needed improvement in other areas. The miscarriage of justice in my case is not the fault of the Nicaraguan people.

   Again, my situation has created a bit of a Catch 22. We need the media, but are, to a point, at the mercy of all the issues that drive the media business. Ultimately though, the story is reaching a collective audience that is learning and thinking, not just about my case, but, about injustice everywhere and for that I’m grateful.

   Thank you for continuing to follow the story, support our efforts to inform those who can make a difference and keep hope alive.

   With love,
   Eric V.

3. on 17 Jun 2007 at 4:29 pm 3.Letters From Eric said …

   FATHER’S DAY - JUNE 17, 2007

   A note from Jan, Eric’s father.

   Father’s Day for me has become a day for Eric and his sister. Historically, it has been a day when children honor fathers, but in my present state and emotional economy, Father’s Day is the day I, as a father, want to honor my children.

   Eric carries my father’s name, Stanley, as his middle name and my middle name is his first. It is in Eric that I find my greatest pride.

   My daughter’s middle name is ‘Joy’ and it has been befitting since the day she was born. She has been the joy of my life from the moment the doctor allowed me to help with her delivery, and I held her in my arms. She is my greatest Joy.

   As the events of this year continue to unfold, I see Father’s Day differently. In many ways the last 200+ days have been Eric’s days. As I wake each morning and thank God for sparing his life another day and pray for Eric’s continued safety and freedom, the days have been about justice and freedom for him. Last year, on Father’s Day, I was in San Juan del Sur spending it with Eric. That was the first time I met Doris, the lovely young lady whose loss has changed the world for all of us.

   I am blessed to have had many fond memories of times with my father. I remember when I was a kid, bumping along the dusty roads of Northern California, learning to drive in his old pickup truck. When I was 8 he taught me how to drive on those old back roads. I remember doing some of the same with both Eric and his sister. When Eric was very young I would sit him on my lap in my old Nissan pickup and let him shift the gears as I depressed the clutch and taught him to steer the car down some of the back roads of Tennessee. Hopefully, his memory of those times is as pleasant as mine.

   As Eric faces the possibility of spending 30 years in prison, I’m certain he is wondering if he’ll ever be a father. It breaks my heart for him, considering the joy he brought to me when he was a little guy, the pride he brings to me as a young man, and the strength he shares with all of us as a man facing some of the hardest days a human being could imagine. He continues to endure and embrace this test with continued grace and humility. I admire him more than I will ever be able to express.

   My prayer is that as we seek his freedom and as the success of that battle finds him back home one day, I will be able to play with Eric’s children and celebrate Father’s Day with him as his children run and jump into his loving arms. Eric will be the best; he’s always had such a tender spirit toward little ones. He has a special place in his heart for children; his own children will be the luckiest of all.

   My dad’s love and dedication toward me was solid as a rock. My dad provided me with life’s greatest gift: unconditional love. And he made sure I knew how much he loved me as he displayed it in action and deed. I hope and pray that Eric will again experience those sentiments from me when we reunite in freedom.

   Recently, we posted a piece written by Eric regarding his hope for a brotherhood among people of all nationalities and creeds, a “one-world” view where he expressed with idealism the hope that people everywhere would begin to recognize the fact that we are all alike in so many ways. For years now I have heard him express his desire to bridge the gap and bring people together. Eric has always been a bridge builder, a peacemaker.

   As a father I find Eric’s ideals refreshing and exhilarating to my soul. Without ideals we’d never be able to change the world. I only hope he has the chance. Eric currently is spending periods of time in deep thought and inner soul examination. That search, when coupled with his connection to others, will make him a much stronger bridge builder than he ever was before.

   For me, Eric’s incarceration has made clearer, some of the differences we citizens of this one planet must learn to overcome. I find myself continuously thankful that I live here and have been blessed by the ideals (albeit imperfect), which abound here. Bridging any divide is never without struggle and Eric’s initial entrance into this world was no less difficult.

   I remember holding Eric moments after he was delivered. He was born with some difficulty and he wasn’t breathing properly. The doctors in the delivery room were quite worried and quickly called in a specialist. For a short while I thought we were going to lose Eric. I remember silently praying for him, asking God to spare his life.

   Here I am 28 years later asking God the same thing, praying the same prayer. I know that the breath of life is but a vapor and only the loving hand of God sustains it. Now that Eric has grown into a fine man of whom I am so proud, I am still humbled by the thought that the only thing between this moment and eternity is life…the frailest thing in the world.

   May we fathers, and those who are yet to be, daily live our lives with unconditional love for each of you: our sons, daughters, wives, sisters, and brothers. Happy Father’s Day…

   Jan Eric Volz

4. on 01 Jul 2007 at 5:18 pm 4.Letters From Eric said …

   

   A Tribute to DORIS JIMENEZ
   *late on submitting this response

   We send this tribute out on June 21st in memory of Doris, 7 months after she was killed on November 21st.

   It has been very hard for Eric to deal with the way Doris has been lost in all this and he has asked us to pay homage to her in this update. He writes: “What should have been the Doris Jimenez case quickly became known as the Eric Volz case. The horror of her murder, as well as the violence and abuse that women face in this region, has been eclipsed by my trial and fight for freedom. I have made a point to mention this in every interview, but have yet to see it published. I will not let people forget the injustice of Doris’ murder and once I am free I will make sure that it receives the attention it deserves.”

   At the end of his first letter from prison, Eric wrote: “Lastly, I would like to remind everyone that all the pain and hardship I’ve faced…is nothing in comparison to the loss of Doris. She was an amazing person that was loved by everyone. She is deeply missed.” Eric continues to grieve the loss of this lovely woman, as do all her friends and family.

   The image below is one you may have seen published in various media stories about this tragedy; here is where it originated. This is Doris, as she appeared on page 59 in the 1st issue of EP Magazine in 2006. The caption to the right reads: “We are rising in the ranks of power, breaking new ground. Women of Central America”

   Part of the mission of EP Magazine, along with promoting conscious living and cultural awareness, was to profile Central American/Caribbean people who are succeeding. In the 1st issue of EP a campaign was launched to encourage the rising strength and influence of Central American women. Doris was a prime example of this NEW WOMAN; putting herself through school, opening her own store, seeking to break the glass ceiling and follow her dreams. In this, we honor her memory.

5. on 08 Sep 2007 at 8:49 pm 5.Ciggyfree Blog » Update on Eric Volz... September 8, 2007 said …

   [...] first posted about Eric volz in late April of this year.  Here is today’s [...]

6. on 29 Sep 2007 at 1:21 am 6.eric said …

   eric voltz is innocent! we know he is,let them go poor country, you don’t have justice,you just have a mess, Eric Voltz is innocent

7. on 29 Oct 2007 at 5:53 pm 7.mimi said …

   se ve que Eric es 100% inocente.Ellos deben de consentrarse en poner en barras a danielito ,no a Eric, y asi poder tener un mejor pais.

8. on 11 Apr 2008 at 3:05 am 8.yoselin said …

   hey there my name is yoselin im mexican and onces i saw ur history about this in some spanish network makes me really sad about the goverment that south americaa has corruption and all this thing i dont know why but ur case took my attention alot u seeing like a good person plus everything seems like u are innocent whats wrong with the jueza is she blind or something?i really would love to help thats why i gonna ask my friends to help u too and the friends of my friends god bless u erick and i would pray for u btw my english is no the best but i try

9. on 14 Apr 2008 at 2:07 am 9.robbster said …

   Hi Yoselin,

   Eric has been free since late December - see here: http://www.friendsofericvolz.com/
   Now he has moved on to help other people who are being detained in foreign prisons.

   Best to you

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