[Freethe SF8] Former Black Panther Details Brutal Police Torture to Extract Confession in 1971 Murder Case

[SF-8 case]

Former Black Panther Details Brutal Police 
Torture to Extract Confession in 1971 Murder Case

http://www.democracynow.org/2007/11/30/former_black_panther_details_brutal_police

Two Nobel Peace Prize laureates are calling for 
all charges to be dropped against eight former 
Black Panthers arrested earlier this year for 
allegedly killing a San Francisco police officer 
over 35 years ago. Archbishop Desmond Tutu and 
Mairead Maguire said the charges against the San 
Francisco Eight should be dropped because the 
case is based in part on statements made under 
torture. Harold Taylor, one of the co-defendants, 
gives a detailed and powerful account of the 
abuse he endured while in police custody. We also 
speak with Ray Boudreaux, another of the San 
Francisco Eight as well as their attorney.

Nobel Peace Prize laureates Archbishop Desmond 
Tutu and Mairead Maguire are calling for all 
charges to be dropped against eight former Black 
Panthers arrested earlier this year for allegedly 
killing a San Francisco police officer over 35 years ago.

In a statement being released today, Archbishop 
Tutu and Maguire said the charges against the San 
Francisco Eight should be dropped because the 
case is based in part on statements made under 
torture. They also criticized the FBI’s 
COINTELPRO operations which targeted the Black Panther Party.

10 months ago, police arrested and detained six 
former Black Panthers­Richard Brown, Richard 
O’Neal, Ray Boudreaux, Henry Jones, Francisco 
Torres and Harold Taylor. Two men already in 
jail-–Herman Bell and Jalil Muntaqim­were also charged.

The men were charged with the murder of Sgt. John 
Young in 1971 and conspiracy to commit murder for 
a string of attacks on other officers.

Harold Taylor and two other men were first 
charged with the murder of the police sergeant in 
1975. But a judge tossed out the charges. Taylor 
and his two co-defendants said they made false 
confessions after police in New Orleans tortured them.

Harold Turner and Ray Boudreaux join us here in 
the Firehouse studio. They were both released on 
bail in September. We are also joined by attorney 
Soffiyah Elijah. She is an attorney for the San 
Francisco Eight and Deputy Director of the 
Criminal Justice Institute at Harvard Law School.

Harold Taylor, former Black Panther who was 
arrested earlier this year on charges related to 
the killing of a San Francisco police officer 
over 35 years ago. Similar charges were dismissed 
in 1975 after a judge concluded Taylor had been 
tortured by police in New Orleans.

Ray Boudreaux, member of the San Francisco Eight.

Soffiyah Elijah, Attorney for the San Francisco 
Eight. She is the Deputy Director of the Criminal 
Justice Institute at Harvard Law School.




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