Reply #8: The Angola 3. Way back when things were actually worse than they are now. [View All]

[endarkenment]

The Angola 3 are Robert King Wilkerson, Albert Woodfox and Herman Wallace who each arrived at Angola Prison as young men under various circumstances in the late 1960s. While inside prison, contact with members of the Black Panthers led to the creation of prison chapter of the Black Panther Party in 1971. The men then organized prisoners to build a movement within the walls to desegregate the prison, to end systematic rape and violence, for better living conditions, and worked as jailhouse lawyers helping prisoners file legal papers. Woodfox and Wallace were convicted of the 1972 stabbing murder of a prison guard. Wilkerson was said by authorities to be linked to the murder but was not charged.<1>

During this time the Black Panther Party, the anti-war movement, and other organizations were targeted by the F.B.I. for "political disruption" through its COINTELPRO.

After organizing multiple strikes and sit-ins for better conditions the three men were taken out of the general prison population and were held in solitary confinement from 1972. They remained in solitary confinement until former black panther member Malik Rahim of Common Ground Collective, and a young law student, Scott Fleming, in 1997 discovered that these men were still locked up. They began investigating the case, questioning the facts of the original investigations at Angola and raising questions about their original trials.

Robert King Wilkerson was exonerated by the state in 2001 and released after 29 years in solitary confinement. Herman Wallace and Albert Woodfox are still prisoners in Angola prison and are working to get released. In March 2008 they were moved, after 36 years, from solitary confinement to a maximum security dormitory.<2>.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angola_3

Boomers: wake the fuck up. It is as bad as it ever was. You were right about things 40 years ago, you just forgot how right you were.