Before it was the Cleveland 4, it was the Cleveland 5 — but the fifth defendant, Anthony Hayne, cooperated with the government against the others in order to get a reduced sentence and so was dropped from receiving community support. Hayne has now been released from prison into a halfway house.
While people should know to be cautious of Hayne and remember that it is never safe to let him back into our communities, the real focus should be on Brandon, Connor, Doug, and Josh — and the continued support they deserve.
As Hayne walked out of prison, the Cleveland 4 still have years left: Brandon has 3 years 9 months, Connor has 2 years 4 months, Doug has 5 years 3 months, and Josh has 4 years 7 months. These years that they still have left are because they chose to not cooperate with the government — they instead chose to stay on the side of their friends, to not be pressured into turning their backs on their community. In return, they deserve community support.
Let Hayne’s release from prison be a reminder that every day that Brandon, Connor, Doug, and Josh have left in prison should be a day that they feel our support. They’re still in there because of their dedication to solidarity with others; we have a responsibility to show solidarity with them.
Please continue to support the Cleveland 4: write to them, send them books from their wish lists, and make donations to their commissary fund. Thank you.
