Black pig who witnessed police murder of Bobby Hutton..

[Nesayem]

Justice undelivered: Testimony of Black officer who witnessed police murder of Bobby Hutton raises more questions

by Billy X. Jennings

The publication of former OPD Officer Eugene Ralph Jennings’ testimony about the murder of Robert “Li’l Bobby� Hutton on April 6, 1968, will never soften the blow that African American communities withstand when their members are murdered at the hands of racist police.

According to Jennings, many Oakland police officers were recruited from Florida and brought with them racist attitudes and the hierarchy of white male privilege. Their arrogance was detrimental not only to the Black community generally but especially to Black police officers.

In this respect, Mr. Jennings’ experience with the police state was synonymous with the experience of the Black community and Bobby Hutton. The major difference is that Jennings was able to walk away with his life.

The abuse of African Americans by police departments in the Bay Area was no secret. Police officers walked tall in their locker rooms after whuppin’ Black heads. Blacks were routinely shot by the police.

It was from these conditions that the cry for Black self defense arose and the Black Panther Party for Self Defense was born. Organizer Huey P. Newton, originally from Louisiana, was no stranger to the practice of white racist brutality.

Li’l Bobby Hutton’s family had fled Pot Liquor, Arkansas, from nightriders. Blacks moving from the South to the Bay found hooded white sheets replaced by police uniforms worn by the “Blue Meanies.�

The 1960s was a decade for social disturbance and organizing. The Civil Rights Movement was in full swing, and the Black Power Movement had come alive. Neither movement, however, focused on the immediate urgency of police occupation and brutality in Black communities.

The Black Panther Party did. Chapters formed in major California cities, nationwide and worldwide in response to the Black community’s plea for an end to police brutality and murder within the community.

According to Eugene Jennings, he joined the police department as a result of witnessing police brutality upon Black people. His motivation was to become a better officer who could serve the needs of Black people.

At the time that he joined the Oakland PD, Black police officers numbered fewer than 15 out of approximately 680. Women numbered fewer than 10. Recruitment of officers was concentrated in the South, and recruits had to have served combat duty. The combination of these two elements – racist attitudes and combat experience – resulted in daily deadly consequences for Black people.

Jennings testified that racist statements were a mainstay in the locker rooms. The shooting of Charles Evers, brother of Medgar Evers, was frequently commented on: “Yeah, if that nigger walked into my neighborhood, I would have shot him too.� Predicting Black reaction to the shooting, police officers said, “The natives will be restless tonight.�

The assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. on April 4, 1968, prompted the Oakland Police Department to begin to hire more Black officers, many of whom were also recruited from the South. Due to the racism in the department, eventually these Black officers formed their own police officers’ association. They owed their jobs to the Black community’s revolt against police brutality.

When Denzil Dowell was killed in April 1967 in Richmond by an officer with the Martinez Sheriff’s Department, his death was labeled a “justifiable homicide.� An investigation by the Black Panther Party, however, determined that Dowell died unarmed and with his hands raised in surrender.

As Black people turned away from traditional forms of protest, the Black Panther Party became an icon. With the rapid growth of the BPP in Oakland, the Oakland Police Department began to aggressively suppress their efforts to organize.

Research shows that Cointelpro and the OPD collaborated in conducting illegal wire taps, surveillance, search and seizure and general harassment of Party members and supporters. Jennings mentions that because the police had the names and license plate numbers of members and supporters, many were arrested and harassed.

The police also utilized informants and snitches in their operational attacks upon the Party. These tactics resulted in unnecessary injuries, unjustified imprisonments and untimely deaths of Black people.

On the night of April 6, 1968, police officer Eugene R. Jennings witnessed the murder of Bobby Hutton by Oakland and Emeryville police officers. Eldridge Cleaver and Bobby Hutton were engaged in a gun battle with the police.

Jennings states in his deposition that he arrived at the scene at 1218 28th St. in Oakland and took a position across the street on top of a brick building – a building that is still standing. He did not see who was actually shooting, but he saw “flashes coming from the basement� from the house across the street.

From his observation point, he could see that the house had caught on fire. Jennings testified that Cleaver and Hutton were surrounded and had surrendered to the police. The police brutalized both panthers.

During the deposition, police investigators attempted to coerce Jennings into stating that Hutton was trying to escape or run. But according to Jennings’ testimony, Hutton stumbled after being pushed from behind, not trying to escape.

At this point an officer stepped forward and shot Hutton in the head, and other officers followed suit. Jennings’ description of Hutton’s murder mirrors the version told by Eldridge Cleaver.

It is interesting to note that Jennings’ testimony is similar to that of another Black police officer, Gynne Pierson, who was present at the scene. But Jennings’ statement was discarded, and he was labeled a “liar.�

In fact, Jennings’ testimony was not presented to the Grand Jury. He faced hostility at work – he had a gun pulled on him by a fellow officer.

Two questions must be answered:

1) Why was Jennings’ testimony not presented to the Grand Jury?

2) Why did Jennings take so long to come forth with this evidence?

The answer to the first question is the longstanding police cover-up regarding Hutton’s murder. The answer to the second question is that Jennings felt that since his life was threatened, he faced an audience that was not ready to reveal the truth.

Although this case is 37 years old, our quest for justice has not been delivered. Recently, grand juries in the Bay Area have been investigating incidents involving Black activists in the 1970s. Instead of focusing on witch hunts, they need to investigate the case of Bobby Hutton’s murder, for this is a case of justice undelivered.

Billy X Jennings of the It’s About Time Committee is the historian for the Black Panther Party and director of the annual Bobby Hutton Day. He can be contacted at (916) 455-0908 or itsabouttime3@juno.com. Further information about the BPP can be found at itsabouttimebpp.com.

[SoularFlarez]

had this a pig that got killed it would have BEEN gotten solved a-sap !!

[Revolutionary_Student]

The sad thing about the justice system is that once "injustice" has been served and the TRUTH comes out afterward, nobody's willing to do anything to reverse the outcome and/or bring forth JUSTICE.