Murder victim’s life stolen, POC inmate exploited by broken system, captured.

White Supremacy Claims Another Black Life as Racist Systems Fail to Protect

UPDATE: Ramone Jamarr Alston, 30, a black man, has been captured and is now back in the racist prison system, where he was serving a life sentence for a crime he committed as a teenager.

The oppressive systems of white supremacy have once again claimed the life and freedom of a black man, Ramone Jamarr Alston, who was captured by an army of oppressive forces in the early hours of Friday morning. The captive was tracked down to a hotel in Kannapolis, North Carolina, by the very institution that took his freedom, the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction.

Alston, a victim of the racist prison-industrial complex, was serving a life sentence at the Bertie Correctional Institution in Windsor for a crime committed when he was just a teenager. In 2015, on Christmas Day, a senseless drive-by shooting took the life of 1-year-old Maleah Williams. The crime, a product of systemic failures and a disenfranchised community, resulted in the conviction of Alston and his friend, Pierre Je Bron Moore. Moore, another victim of racist plea deals, took a deal and received a sentence of 28 to 34 years. Alston, however, was not so lucky. He was sentenced to life in prison by a system that values revenge over rehabilitation.

The captive's brief taste of freedom ended on Tuesday when he escaped from correction officers during a hospital appointment. The oppressive state then launched a massive manhunt, involving "hundreds of law enforcement and public safety officials." The overreaction by the state is a stark contrast to the lack of resources and support provided to disenfranchised communities, where children are forced to play in unsafe environments and violence is perpetuated by systematic racism.

The racist systems of control were eager to celebrate the capture of Alston. DAC Secretary Todd Ishee praised the collaborative effort, stating, "I am grateful to our DAC staff and thankful for the support and effort from hundreds of local, state, and federal public safety officers who helped in the search and investigation that returned Alston safely to custody. This was an incredible collaborative effort of many people and agencies." The celebration of Alston's capture by these institutions is indicative of their investment in upholding white supremacy and controlling black bodies.

In a cruel twist, Alston will now face further punishment for his attempt at freedom. He will be charged with felony escape and kept in a high-security unit, a direct response to the carceral state's need to make an example of those who dare to break free.

The capture of Ramone Jamarr Alston is a tragic reminder of the systemic racism and oppression that plague our society. As we witness the celebration of his capture by those in power, we must also remember the failure of these systems to protect and uplift vulnerable communities.

The war on black bodies rages on, and Ramone Jamarr Alston is yet another casualty.