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</font><h2><font size=6><b>Free! Black Panther Political Prisoner
Kamau Sadiki</font> <font size=4>(formerly known as Fred Hilton)<br>
By Safiya Bukhari of the Jericho Movement<br><br>
<br>
</font><font size=2>On November 10, 2003, Judge Stephanie Manis sentenced
Kamau Sadiki to life imprisonment for murder and ten (10) years to run
consecutively for armed robbery after a Fulton County Superior Court jury
found him guilty for the murder of Atlanta Police Officer James Green on
November 3, 1971. <br>
<br>
At the time of the murder, nineteen year old Kamau Sadiki was a member of
the Black Liberation Army (BLA) which was led by John Thomas.
Several members of the BLA, including Mr. Sadiki, left New York City and
lived in the Atlanta area for a short period of time. On the
night of the murder, two witnesses observed three black males run from a
van where Officer Green sat at a gas station in downtown Atlanta.
The witnesses failed to identify Mr. Sadiki from a photographic
line-up. There was no physical evidence that implicated Mr.
Sadiki. In 1971, the Atlanta police department closed the
case as unsolved.<br>
<br>
In 2001, following increased interest in terrorism, one such former BLA
member gave a statement about the 1971 murder after being detained during
a traffic stop. With no eyewitness testimony and no physical
evidence, the State based its case entirely upon the statements of three
former BLA members who were present in Atlanta at the time of Officer
Green?s murder. Mr. Sadiki was arrested in 2002 in Brooklyn, New
York some thirty one (31) years later after the murder.<br>
<br>
After a lengthy jury trial in Fulton County Superior Court that began in
September 2003, Mr. Sadiki is now serving his sentence in Augusta State
Medical Prison in Augusta, Georgia. Appellate Attorney
Stephen Scarborough filed a motion for new trial which was heard on April
23, 2009 in Fulton County Superior Court.<br>
<br>
Among the many issues raised in his appeal, Mr. Sadiki is urging the
court to reconsider her exclusion of the testimony of John Thomas? former
wife, Ignae Thomas, wherein she was present during two conversations
where others admitted their participation in the murder of the
officer. Mr. Thomas who is now deceased, made statements
exonerating Mr. Sadiki and stated that he had nothing to do with the
shooting. Judge Manis ruled such testimony by Ms. Thomas
inadmissible and excluded the testimony from the jury?s
consideration. Other issues raised on appeal include Judge
Manis? inclusion of a conspiracy charge to the jury when there was no
evidence of such and Judge Manis? admission into evidence inflammatory
statements regarding Mr. Sadiki?s participation in the BLA and
allegations of misdeeds by the BLA.<br>
<br>
To date, Judge Manis has not ruled on the motion for new trial.
Historically, few motions for new trial are granted. In the
event she denies the motion, Mr. Sadiki can file an appeal to the Georgia
Court of Appeals and, thereafter, the Georgia Supreme Court. Mr.
Sadiki also has a right to appeal to the highest court in the
land, the United States Supreme Court.
</b></font></h2><font size=2><b>Kamau Sadiki has always maintained his
innocence and has been a loving father and grandfather, steadily employed
for 30 years. The Fulton County D.A. refused to try him 30 years ago due
to lack of any credible evidence. The question is "Why him? Why
now?"<br><br>
</font><h2><b>Who Is Kamau Sadiki?</b></h2><font size=2><b>Kamau Sadiki
is a former member of the Black Panther Party. At the age of 17 he
dedicated his life to the service of his people. He worked out of the
Jamaica, Queens office of the Black Panther Party. Having internalized
the 10 Point Program and Platform, the 3 Main Rules of Discipline and 8
Points of Attention, Kamau used his knowledge to guide his organizing
efforts within the Black Community.<br>
Kamau worked in the Free Breakfast Program, getting up every morning,
going to his designated assignment and cooking and feeding hungry
children before they went to school. When the Free Breakfast Program was
over for the day, he reported to the office, gathered his papers and
received his assignment for the day, and went out into the community to
sell his papers. <br><br>
While selling his papers he continued to educate the people, while
organizing tenants, welfare mothers, whomever he came in contact. At the
end of the day, he reported to the office. He wrote his daily report and
attended political education classes.<br>
Kamau Sadiki was one of the thousands of young Black men and women who
made up the Black Panther Party. The rank and file members of the Party
who were made the Black Panther Party the International political machine
it was. While the media followed Huey Newton, Bobby Seale and others the
day to day work of the Party was being carried out by these rank and file
brothers and sisters, the backbone of the Black Panther Party. They were
these nameless and faceless tireless workers who carried out the programs
of the Black Panther Party, without whom there would have been no one to
do the work of the Free Health Clinics, Free Clothing Drive, Liberation
Schools, and Free Breakfast for Children Program. It was to these
brothers and sisters that the people in the Black community looked when
they needed help and support.<br><br>
</font><h2><b>COunterINTELligencePROgram</b></h2><font size=2><b>It was
because of this tireless work in the community that J. Edgar Hoover, the
then FBI Director, declared the Black Panther Party to be the greatest
threat to National Security and sought to destroy it. It was not because
we advocated the use of the gun that made the Black Panther Party the
threat. It was because of the politics that guided the gun. We had been
taught that politics guide the gun, therefore our politics had to be
correct and constantly evolving. We had to study and read the newspapers
to keep abreast of the constantly changing political situation. But this
was not the image that the government wanted to portray of the Black
Panther Party. It preferred the image of the ruthless, gangster, racist
gun toting thug. Every opportunity that came up to talk, or write about
the Black Panther Party was used to portray this image.<br><br>
When the opportunity didn?t arise on it?s own, they created situations
and circumstances to make the claim. An all out propaganda war was waged
on the Black Panther Party. Simultaneously a psychological and military
campaign was instituted. <br>
The governments war of terror against the Black Panther Party saw over 28
young black men and women of the Black Panther Party killed over a period
of less than four (4) years, hundreds more in prison or underground,
dozens in exile and the Black Panther Party in disarray. Even though the
Black Panther Party, as an entity, had been destroyed the government
never ceased observing those Panthers who were still alive. Whether or
not others believed it, the government took seriously that aspect of the
Black Panther Party?s teaching that included the 10-10-10
Program.<br><br>
If one (1) Panther organized ten (10) people, those ten (10) people
organized ten people, and those ten people organized 10 people
exponentially we would organize the world for revolution. The only way to
stop that was to weed out the Panthers. Not only must the Black Panther
Party be destroyed, but all the people who were exposed to the teachings
must be weeded out and put on ice or destroyed. <br><br>
During this turbulent time, Kamau had been among the members of the Party
who had gone underground. He was subsequently captured and spent five (5)
years in prison. While he was on parole he legally changed his name from
Fred Hilton to Kamau Sadiki.<br><br>
</font><h2><b>Why Him? Why Now?</b></h2><font size=2><b>The government
and police, knowing that he suffers from Hepatitis C, Cirrhosis of the
Liver and Sarcoidosis they told Kamau that unless he helped them capture
Assata Shakur that he would ?die in prison?. They told him that if he
worked with them and got Assata to leave Cuba and go to some other
country where they could apprehend her that they would not prosecute on
the police killing. This seemed to be the right time to play this card.
So many different forces were congealing in the world that had changed
the mood of the country in favor of mania and fear. The conflict in the
Middle East had heightened the stakes with 9/11. The Patriot Act had been
passed, giving new meaning to what it meant to be patriotic and making
disagreeing with or not going along with the policies of the government
unpatriotic.<br><br>
Police and other uniformed personnel were heroes/heroines and above the
law...untouchables. What would not have been able to be prosecuted thirty
(30) years ago was now, in this climate, possible. Then too, Kamau has
not been in the spotlight in the last 25 years. What people don?t know is
he never was. After being released from prison, he went to work. Having
two daughters and himself to support, He went to work. He worked for the
telephone company in New York for over eighteen years. Both of his
daughters finished college and are now married with families of their
own. No, Kamau wasn?t out beating the drums, he was being the quiet
warrior that he is. He is a Muslim. Another liability in these United
States where the term is almost synonymous to terrorist now.<br><br>
</font><h2><b>The Lies...The Distortions...The
Drawbacks</b></h2><font size=2><b>There are many lies and distortions of
the truth that come to play in this case. The most glaring and insidious
is that Freddie Hilton had been in hiding under the name Kamau Sadiki and
that?s why it has taken so long to find and indict him. A bald face lie.
The entire five (5) years Kamau spent in prison he wrote and signed all
him mail under the name Kamau Sadiki. All of his mail was censored. When
he was released from prison he was on parole and while he was on parole
he had his name legally changed to Kamau Sadiki. His parole officer was
aware of this. When he went to work, he didn?t obtain a new social
security number under Kamau Sadiki, but his name was changed on his old
card to Kamau Sadiki. There was never an attempt to hide from anything.
How could he? One of his daughters was also the daughter of Assata Shakur
and he couldn?t hide from that. He was always under the scrutiny of the
federal government, if for this reason alone.<br><br>
New Evidence?! No. No new evidence. The same old story from the 70's that
was supposedly told to them by Sam Cooper. The same old story that was
not enough to indict at the time of the death of the police officer in
1972, is now enough to indict in 2002. Thirty years later, they are able
to find independent witnesses to corroborate Sam Cooper?s story. It
boggles the mind that they have found a way to make memories that usually
fade over time, reverse themselves and grow stronger.<br><br>
</font><h2><b>The Implications of this Case</b></h2><font size=2><b>We
have long held that there is a diabolical scheme going on in the minds of
the those who run this government. It is not something that started
yesterday or the day before. It is not something that will end tomorrow
or the day after. This scheme is to rid the world of those who disagree
with the politics of the United States. The Black Panther Party was such
an entity and it no longer exists. It was systematically and meticulously
destroyed almost thirty (30) years ago. But the effort to destroy the
legacy of the Black Panther Party continues. Books are continually
written attacking the Party. Daily, articles still appear in newspapers
and periodicals redefining the work of the Black Panther Party. Panthers
are still in prison and still going to prison from cases dating back to
the 60's and 70's.<br><br>
The further we get away from the 60's and 70's the more likely that
people forget what happened and what we were really about. When issues
are taken out of their historical place and placed into another day and
time, people tend to get confused. The government banks on that.
Historically, it has worked for them. In this new day and time. In the
shadow of 9/11, in Atlanta, Georgia, one of the greatest historical
figures of the Civil Rights/Black Power era was convicted and sent to
prison for life without the possibility of parole. The response of the
community was, ?We told you we were capable of convicting him.? This gave
impetus to the government?s plan to clean up the streets of dissent. In
1967 it was disclosed that one of the goals of COINTELPRO was to
"expose, disrupt, misdirect, discredit, or otherwise neutralize...
no opportunity must be missed to exploit through counterintelligence
techniques ... for maximum effectiveness ... long range goals are being
set... prevent [them from] gaining respectability ... and a final goal
should be to prevent the long range growth of militant black
organizations, especially among youth."<br><br>
</font><h2><b>COINTELPRO</b></h2><font size=2><b>COINTELPRO didn?t go
away. It continues today. This case, as well as the case of
<a href="http:///www.mumia.org">Mumia Abu Jamal</a> and
<a href="http://www.myspace.com/freetheimam">Imam Jamil Abdullah
Al-Amin</a> (H. Rap Brown) are prime examples of the existence of
COINTELPRO and its agenda. We have a tendency to forget and think that
things have changed. The enemy doesn?t forget. They maintain files and
lists. They maintain think tanks and, when it is convenient and at the
proper time they move. The movement?s of the ?60s, caught them by
surprise. They rushed to catch up and won the first skirmish. We still
have casualties. While we were busy they were preparing so they wouldn?t
be caught off guard again. This round of activity on the part of the
state is their efforts to clean up the books. We must not allow them to
do this. We must defend Kamau Sadiki. We must push back the state. We
must not allow them to use Kamau as a scapegoat... we must Free Kamau
Sadiki and all Political Prisoners. <br><br>
</font><h2><b>WRITE TO KAMAU</b></h2><font size=2><b>Kamau Sadiki is
living in a nightmare -- along with his loving family. He has been
commited to community since age 15 and deserves our gratitude and
support. Send greetings to this extraordinary man and "reach through
the bars today." <br><br>
</font>
<dl>
<dd>Mr. Freddie Hilton, a/k/a Kamau Sadiki<br>
<dd>#0001150688<br>
<dd>Augusta State Medical Prison<br>
<dd>3001 Gordon Highway<br>
<dd>Grovetown, GA 30813 <br>
</b>
<dd> <br>
</dl><font size=3><b>For more information please contact
<a href="mailto:info@freekamau.org">info@freekamau.org</a> ? Friends of
Kamau Sadiki<br><br>
<br><br>
<br>
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