Biography
Mark Curtis was a Socialist Workers Party member, former Young Socialist Alliance secretary, packinghouse worker and opponent of U.S. policy in Central America. Des Moines police arrested him on March 4, 1988. He was convicted later that year of sexual assault and burglary and received a nominal twenty-five-year sentence. The Militant and his defense campaign alleged a political frame-up, citing his labor organizing and FBI surveillance of his political work. Those claims are attributed to the campaign; this report does not establish exoneration, a final physical release date or twenty-five years actually served. Source: The Militant, May 3, 1993, PDF page 4. https://www.themilitant.com/1993/5717/MIL5717.pdf#page=4
Photo: Militant / Stu Singer. Original-document crop individually identified by the printed caption. Source: The Militant, May 3, 1993, PDF page 4. https://www.themilitant.com/1993/5717/MIL5717.pdf#page=4
The June 1992 report describes Curtis winning a federal civil-rights lawsuit against Des Moines police over his beating during the 1988 arrest. This did not overturn the criminal conviction.
