Danny Glover/Kathleen Cleaver + Phone/Fax

[nattyreb]

Justice system leaves activists in 38-year limbo

1971 case reopened under Patriot Act
Reneé Selanders/The Daily
OUDaily.com | Justice system leaves activists in 38-year limbo

Friday, January 23, 2009

James Cornwell/ The Daily The discussion panel fields questions about the San Francisco 8 from the audience in the Molly Shi Boren Ballroom on Saturday. The panel consisted of some of the original members of the San Francisco 8, attorneys representing the group, as well as famous actor and Activist, Danny Glover.

Two years ago today, eight former civil rights activists began reliving a decades-old nightmare they thought they left in the past.

That nightmare is the highly politicized human and civil rights struggle now known as the San Francisco 8. Eight men were arrested Jan. 23, 2007, and face charges of conspiracy and murder in the 1971 death of a police officer.

Those charges originally were dropped when the judge discovered the confessions were obtained illegally, but now, under the Patriot Act, the eight men could find themselves behind bars again.

Five of the San Francisco 8 shared that nightmare with members of the OU community Saturday night at “The San Francisco 8” symposium. Joined by actor and civil rights activist Danny Glover, Harvard Law professor Soffiyah Elijah and Emory Law professor Kathleen Cleaver.

African and African American Studies program director Jeanette R. Davidson organized the symposium in honor of the late Wayne Thompson. Thompson, a human rights activist and Oklahoma native, played an integral role in the story of the San Francisco 8, Davidson said.

“The San Francisco 8 cause was very, very dear to his heart, and so the members of the San Francisco 8 got a message to me and asked if they could do this program to honor him,” she said. “Of course I just said yes ... so we could do the work he always wanted us to do here at OU.”

‘Legacy of torture’

The case began with the 1971 murder investigation of a San Francisco police officer that lead to the interrogation of two suspects. The Black Panther Party and affiliated black civil rights activists were suspects in the case.

On Aug. 29, 1971, San Francisco Sgt. John V. Young was shot and killed inside the Ingleside Police Station. Black Panther Party members Harold Taylor and John Bowman were taken into custody in New Orleans. Police used cattle prods, hot wet blankets and their fists to extract confessions, as Taylor and Bowman would later recall in “The Legacy of Torture,” a documentary of the case featured at Saturday night’s symposium.

They would also recall Thompson as a young civil rights legal investigator discovering the horrific events in the police station. He fought to secure legal counsel for them and stop the torturous interrogations, Davidson said.

“[Taylor] absolutely knows in his heart that Wayne saved his life, literally, not figuratively,” Davidson said. “That’s why there’s such a bond between the San Francisco 8 members and [Thompson], and that’s why he was so committed to working with them because he actually saw the reality of them being tortured.”

In 1974, a court found that the confessions extracted from Taylor and Bowman were not credible. The case was thrown out, and the men accused of the murder continued with their lives.

Civil unrest

Though their arrest sapped the morale from civil rights groups, Bowman, Taylor and their fellow activists continued with their work in the community.

Glover, who had been in contact with the Black Panther Party’s work when he was in college in the ’60s and ’70s, said the investigation took a toll on the relationship the party tried to create with its community with outreach and charity work.

“It created a climate of suspicion even within the party itself,” Glover said. “It attempted to faction the kind of extraordinary movement.”

Still, the party continued with its work for the community and black civil rights. The members of the San Francisco 8 present at Saturday’s symposium said their main goal as members of the Black Panther Party was to serve their community.

“My father always taught me to look out for the underdog and to help those who could not help themselves,” San Francisco 8 member Henry “Hank” Jones said. “That’s what brought me to the Black Panther Party.”

For the next 32 years, that’s what many of the San Francisco 8 attempted to do. Serving as civil rights activists and working honest jobs, “these were men just living their lives” Davidson said. “And suddenly their lives are turned upside down once more.”

Case continues

In 2003, the case was reopened without any identifiable new evidence, Davidson said.

Bowman died in 2006.

On Jan. 23, 2007, police arrested the San Francisco 8 in California, New York and Florida in the reopened investigation of the 1971 murder. A grand jury convened in 2005 to begin questioning for the investigation. All members of the San Francisco 8 are posted bail except those in New York who could not afford to.

Cleaver, Emory Law professor and civil rights activist, said the Patriot Act allowed the case to be reopened, and investigators reopened the case to target the Black Panther Party.

“They don’t want the next generation to be able to say we know who we are,” Cleaver said. “We’re here to say we’re ready to continue to resist.”

The San Francisco 8 resistance continues today through symposiums like the one at OU.

By informing the public of their plight, the San Francisco 8 hope to bring attention to this case that they said has been unjustly brought against them.

Biochemistry senior Huliamatu Bah attended the symposium with other members of the OU African Student Association. During the question and answer session, she said she wanted to know how she could get involved.

“I thought as a black student, I should have known about this,” Bah said.

Davidson said many people are not aware of this issue, but its social, political and cultural importance is something she is glad to have helped spread at OU.

“I think people need to know what’s going on. Everyone has thanked me for bringing such an important program and they’ve also talked about how eye-opening it’s been,” she said. “They understand we need to be aware.”

Timeline of events

Aug. 29, 1971 – San Francisco Police Sgt. John V. Young is shot and killed.

1971 – Harold Taylor and John Bowman, two men that would become part of the San Francisco 8, were arrested in New Orleans in connection with Young’s murder and confessed under interrogation.

1974 – A court found that the confessions were not valid since they were extracted by torture. Without these confessions, the investigation ended.

2003 – The case is reopened.

Jan. 23, 2007 – Eight men were arrested in California, New York and Florida in connection with the reopened investigation. The San Francisco 8 await a June 8 court date to make their case.

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FAX AND PHONE CAMPAIGN TO SUPPORT HERMAN BELL AND JALIL MUNTAQIM

To all celebrating Black History Month:

Black History Month is a time to not only celebrate, educate and
embrace Afrikan contributions, but a time to continue upholding the
legacy of our unsung Afrikan heroes, many of whom sacrificed a great
deal in the times of the Civil Rights and Black Liberation Movements.

1,000’s of Afrikan people have been held captive as Political
Prisoners or Prisoners of War for holding America responsible for its
injustices.

Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, Kwame Ture and Huey P. Newton
were all incarcerated for political reasons.

Many of the men and women who stood beside the civil rights and black
liberation heroes of yesterday are still incarcerated today.

Jalil Muntaqim and Herman Bell (of the San Francisco 8) are two of
many who sacrificed so much during the Civil Rights and Black
Liberation Movements.

Both have been held captive since the early 1970’s. Jalil and Herman
are being denied of their right of parole hearings because neither
the California nor New York Governor will act on their request to be
transferred to NY in order to work on their parole hearings.

“Phone for Parole!” every Monday during Black History Month

Let us commemorate Black History Month by simply calling or faxing
for the immediate transporting of Jalil Muntaqim and Herman Bell for
parole hearings.

“Phone for Parole!” every Monday during Black History Month

Please look at the attached letter for more details on this
injustice. Feel free to use it as a basis for your fax or phone call.

Free the SF 8!!


Honorable David A. Paterson
Governor of the State of New York
State Capitol
Albany, NY 12224
FAX: 1-518-474-1513, 1-518-474-3767
david.paterson@chamber.state.ny.us
phone: 518-474-8390

February, 2009

Dear Governor Paterson:

I call upon you to immediately approve the already agreed upon
transfer of Herman Bell and Anthony Bottom (aka Jalil Muntaqim), back
to New York State custody to attend their parole hearings.

Mr. Bell and Mr. Bottom have been languishing in the San Francisco
County Jail for over two years. Their case is at least four months
away from preliminary hearings, but red tape continues to block the
implementation of their transfer.

The San Francisco County Jail does not have the proper facilities or
capacity to hold people for an extended period of time, and two years
in sub-standard living conditions, woefully limited visits and little
to no access to proper medical care or activities has had devastating
effects on Mr. Bell and Mr. Bottom and their families.

Both of these men have been incarcerated for over 35 years and are
model prisoners. Their return to New York State is essential in
order for them to be present for crucial parole hearings. It is
unfair and cruel to deny them this right.

Additionally, Mr. Bottom has submitted a fully documented application
to you for clemency/commutation of his New York sentence. Please do
not allow Mr. Bottom's custody in California to lessen the urgency of
acting on his compelling case.

Please act now to end this injustice.

Sincerely,

_______________________________
_____________________
(Print
Name)
(Signature)


__________________________________________________ ______________
(Address)


__________________________________________________ ______________________
(Address)
_______________________________________________
Please support these brothers by sending a donation. Make checks payable to CDHR/Agape and mail to the address below or donate on line:

Donate to Free the SF8

Committee for the Defense of Human Rights (CDHR)
PO Box 90221
Pasadena, CA 91109
(415) 226-1120
FreetheSF8@riseup.net

Free the SF8 - Committee for the Defense of Human Rights
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