Black Political Prisoner On Trial

Arm the Spirit, 30 November 1998

Former Black Panther Albert Woodfox, who has spent over 20 years in solitary confinement in Louisiana, is scheduled to be retried December 7 for the 1972 killing of a white prison guard.

Woodfox has always maintained that he is innocent of the killing.

Woodfox was convicted, along with fellow Panther Herman "Hooks" Wallace, in 1973. Both were given life sentences and sent directly to solitary confinement at the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola. Woodfox won a reversal of his conviction in 1992, and has since been incarcerated at a local jail, awaiting trial. Wallace remains in an isolation cell at Angola, his conviction intact.

Woodfox and Wallace helped found the Angola chapter of the Black Panther Party. Just as the police apparatus did everywhere else in America in the 1960s and 1970s, the authorities in Louisiana unleashed brutal repression to prevent African-Americans from organizing themselves. In Louisiana prisons and jails, authorities maced, beat, shot, isolated, and framed activist prisoners. One revolutionary prisoner charged in the 1972 guard killing, Gilbert Montegut, was acquitted at the original trial. Even Angola's warden admitted that Montegut had been framed.

Because the prosecution has very little evidence against Woodfox, THEY INTEND TO PUT THE BLACK PANTHER PARTY ON TRIAL. The Assistant Attorney General has said, "I think this was a racially-motivated Black Panther murder." She intends to introduce evidence that Woodfox once spelled "America" as "AMERIKKKA" in order to inflame the jury. She plans to tell the jury that political statements Woodfox once made against "fascism" and "pigs" constitute evidence that he committed murder.

Woodfox and Wallace are still struggling to win their freedom, and THEY NEED YOUR HELP.

There is not enough room here to include all of the unbelievable facts of this case. Two websites have been set up to provide more information. Visit http://www.prisons.org and http://www.prisonactivist.org. Over the next few days, we will be posting a detailed history of the Angola 2 case, articles about the case taken from the original Black Panther Party newspaper, and information about what you can do to help the Angola 2.

Albert Woodfox Is The First Political Prisoner In Recent Memory To Have Won A New Trial. We Have A Chance To Bring Albert Home Before Christmas, But We Need To Build Political Support Before The December 7 Trial.

Please take a moment to contact the prosecutor and the judge. Tell them you are outraged that they intend to try this man on the basis of his political affiliations. Let them know that the world is watching, and we will not tolerate the lynch-mob atmosphere surrounding this trial. Write or call them at the following addresses:

Assistant Attorney General Julie Cullen
Louisiana Department of Justice
Criminal Division
P.O. Box 94095
Baton Rouge, LA
70804-9095 USA
Phone: (225) 342-7013
Fax: (225) 342-8703

Hon. Bruce C. Bennett
Tangipahoa Parish Courthouse Building
Amite, LA
70422 USA
Phone: (504) 748-9445

Woodfox Also Needs Money

Funds are needed to bring witnesses from around the country. The judge recently denied funds for Albert to hire a jury consultant. His supporters are paying for what they can out of their own pockets. Please help out if you can. Make checks payable to "It's About Time", and write "Albert Woodfox Defense" on the check. Mail to:

It's About Time
P.O. Box 221100
Sacramento, CA
95822 USA

You can also write letters to the Angola 2. Including some stamps is always helpful to them.

Albert Woodfox (B-1)
P.O. Box 250
Amite, LA
70422 USA

Herman Wallace #76759
Louisiana State Penitentiary
Main Prison Ex-L/D U-3-R #204
Angola, LA
70712 USA