Raymond Luc Levasseur
Encyclopedia
Raymond "Ray" Luc Levasseur (October 10, 1946 - ) was a member of the United Freedom Front
, a militant Marxist organization that conducted a series of bombings throughout the United States
from 1976 to 1984.
, and was sent to Vietnam
two years later, for a 12 month tour of duty.He felt that this experience radicalized him—claiming that he experienced racism, and began to feel strong opposition to fighting against the Vietnamese, who he felt were struggling for their right to self-determination.
After returning from Vietnam, Levasseur moved to Tennessee, where he began attending college. There, he began working with the Southern Student Organizing Committee
(SSOC).
In 1969, Levasseur was arrested for attempting to sell six dollars worth of marijuana to an undercover
police officer
. Even though he had no prior criminal history, due to his political activism, Levasseur was given the maximum penalty of 5 years in prison. He was sent to the Tennessee State Penitentiary, where he spent 2 years in solitary confinement
, before being released on parole
.
He then moved to Maine
, where he began working with Vietnam Veterans Against the War
(VVAW), and the Statewide Correctional Alliance for Reform (SCAR), a prisoners'-rights organization. It is while working with these activist groups in Maine, that Levasseur met his future wife
, Pat Gros.
. During the arrest, his wife and 3 children were taken into custody. His children were subjected to over 5 hours of interrogation by the FBI and were then turned over to a state child welfare agency, despite the fact that numerous relatives lived in the area, were gainfully employed, and expressed willingness to take the children into custody.
prison, USP Marion. While there, he refused to work for the prison labor corporation UNICOR, producing weapons for the U.S. Department of Defense.
In 1994 he was transferred to ADX Florence
in Colorado
, possibly as a result of his refusal to work for UNICOR.
In 1999 he was transferred to the Atlanta Federal Prison, where he was released from solitary confinement
for the first time in 13 years. Soon afterwards, he began to publish writings on the website Letters from Exile
Levasseur was released from prison on parole
in 2004.
Books
News stories
United Freedom Front
The United Freedom Front was a small American Marxist organization active in the 1970s and 1980s. It was originally called the Sam Melville/Jonathan Jackson Unit, and its members became known as the Ohio 7 when they were brought to trial...
, a militant Marxist organization that conducted a series of bombings throughout the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
from 1976 to 1984.
Early life
In 1965 Levasseur enlisted in the United States ArmyUnited States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
, and was sent to Vietnam
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
two years later, for a 12 month tour of duty.He felt that this experience radicalized him—claiming that he experienced racism, and began to feel strong opposition to fighting against the Vietnamese, who he felt were struggling for their right to self-determination.
After returning from Vietnam, Levasseur moved to Tennessee, where he began attending college. There, he began working with the Southern Student Organizing Committee
Southern Student Organizing Committee
The Southern Student Organizing Committee was a student activist group in the southern United States during the 1960s, which focused on many political and social issues, including African-American civil rights, opposition to the Vietnam War, worker's rights, and feminism...
(SSOC).
In 1969, Levasseur was arrested for attempting to sell six dollars worth of marijuana to an undercover
Undercover
Being undercover is disguising one's own identity or using an assumed identity for the purposes of gaining the trust of an individual or organization to learn secret information or to gain the trust of targeted individuals in order to gain information or evidence...
police officer
Police officer
A police officer is a warranted employee of a police force...
. Even though he had no prior criminal history, due to his political activism, Levasseur was given the maximum penalty of 5 years in prison. He was sent to the Tennessee State Penitentiary, where he spent 2 years in solitary confinement
Solitary confinement
Solitary confinement is a special form of imprisonment in which a prisoner is isolated from any human contact, though often with the exception of members of prison staff. It is sometimes employed as a form of punishment beyond incarceration for a prisoner, and has been cited as an additional...
, before being released on parole
Parole
Parole may have different meanings depending on the field and judiciary system. All of the meanings originated from the French parole . Following its use in late-resurrected Anglo-French chivalric practice, the term became associated with the release of prisoners based on prisoners giving their...
.
He then moved to Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
, where he began working with Vietnam Veterans Against the War
Vietnam Veterans Against the War
Vietnam Veterans Against the War is a tax-exempt non-profit organization and corporation, originally created to oppose the Vietnam War. VVAW describes itself as a national veterans' organization that campaigns for peace, justice, and the rights of all United States military veterans...
(VVAW), and the Statewide Correctional Alliance for Reform (SCAR), a prisoners'-rights organization. It is while working with these activist groups in Maine, that Levasseur met his future wife
Wife
A wife is a female partner in a marriage. The rights and obligations of the wife regarding her spouse and others, and her status in the community and in law, varies between cultures and has varied over time.-Origin and etymology:...
, Pat Gros.
Arrest / Trial
Levasseur was arrested on November 3, 1984, by Emery R. Jorden, U.S Marshal, who managed to track him down from a trail of aliases that his wife was using, which led to a post office box in Columbus, OhioColumbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
. During the arrest, his wife and 3 children were taken into custody. His children were subjected to over 5 hours of interrogation by the FBI and were then turned over to a state child welfare agency, despite the fact that numerous relatives lived in the area, were gainfully employed, and expressed willingness to take the children into custody.
Conviction / Imprisonment
After being convicted, Levasseur was sentenced to 45 years in prison, and was sent immediately to Control Unit of the supermaxSupermax
Supermax is the name used to describe "control-unit" prisons, or units within prisons, which represent the most secure levels of custody in the prison systems of certain countries...
prison, USP Marion. While there, he refused to work for the prison labor corporation UNICOR, producing weapons for the U.S. Department of Defense.
In 1994 he was transferred to ADX Florence
ADX Florence
The United States Penitentiary Administrative Maximum Facility is a supermax prison for men that is located in unincorporated Fremont County, Colorado, United States, south of Florence. It is unofficially known as ADX Florence, Florence ADMAX, Supermax, or The Alcatraz of the Rockies...
in Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, possibly as a result of his refusal to work for UNICOR.
In 1999 he was transferred to the Atlanta Federal Prison, where he was released from solitary confinement
Solitary confinement
Solitary confinement is a special form of imprisonment in which a prisoner is isolated from any human contact, though often with the exception of members of prison staff. It is sometimes employed as a form of punishment beyond incarceration for a prisoner, and has been cited as an additional...
for the first time in 13 years. Soon afterwards, he began to publish writings on the website Letters from Exile
Levasseur was released from prison on parole
Parole
Parole may have different meanings depending on the field and judiciary system. All of the meanings originated from the French parole . Following its use in late-resurrected Anglo-French chivalric practice, the term became associated with the release of prisoners based on prisoners giving their...
in 2004.
Secondary sources
Scholarly papers / Journal articlesBooks
News stories