From: nattyreb@ix.netcom.com
Date: Fri, 07 May 1999 18:46:21
Subject: !*Free Eddie Conway Update

FORWARDED MESSAGE
===================

From: jonina m abron 

Black Panther political prisoner Eddie Conway has asked me to share the
following update on his case. 

Peace,
JoNina
___________________________________________________________________________
_________________

The April 3rd Rally (in Baltimore) was a success. Both the march and the
church rally were well attended. A wide cross section  of the community
came out to show support. Supporters came from as far away as New York
and as near as Washington, D.C. The news coverage of the march was
short, but positive. New commitments and contacts were made to further
energize our campaign. Another support committee is being formed in
Philadelphia, Pa, to add to the efforts of the California, New York,
Illinois, and Washington, D.C. support groups. If you came to this
rally, thank you for your support. Each step in our campaign helps the
overall efforts. If you missed this rally, don't worry, there will be
other events.

Marshall Eddie Conway Support Committee
P.O. Box 41144
Baltimore, MD 21203-6144
(410)276-7221
___________________________________________________________________________
__________________

(The following article was published in The Baltimore Press, March 29,
1999. While I  disagree with the writer's opinions that the political
strategy of the Black Panther Party was "seriously flawed and
self-defeating," and that some Panthers who were charged with crimes
were "fairly convicted," what is important is that he calls for  Eddie's
release from prison. and provides basic background information on the
case for those unfamiliar with it..--JoNina)

Bringing Closure to the Black Panther Era

By Bill Hughes

Although the original Black Panther Part is history, one of its members
is still languishing in prison in Maryland. His name is Marshall "Eddie"
Conway. A former leader of the local Panther group, he has been behind
bars for nearly 30 years.

In a highly controversial trial in 1970, Conway was convicted of
murdering a white Baltimore City Pollice officer and trying to shoot two
others.  He was given a life sentence. Now, for a black man to get a
fair trial, two years after the 1968 Baltimore riots, was difficult at
best. When you add to it the fact that the defendant advocated extreme
radical politics, it was like pushing the envelope to its outer edge.

First, some historical background: The Black Panther Party was the white
establishment's worse nightmare come true. Frustrated by what many black
activists saw as the limited success of the Civil Rights Movement, and
the horrific murders of leaders like the fiery Malcolm X and the revered
Martin Luther Kingf, they organized to change the system by "any means
necessary." This proved, in a democratic society to be both a seriously
flawed and self-defeating strategy.

The establishment countered with a J. Edgar Hoover-inspired covert
process called "COINTELPRO". It was formed to infiltrate and disrupt
Black Nationalist organizations, and in particular, the Black Panther
Party. The FBI won the battle and the Black Panther Party was totally
crushed. Many of its leaders were either killed, forced underground, or
sent to prison. Some were fairly convicted of their offenses; others,
however, fell into a miscarriage of justice cateogry.

One such case involved Elmer "Geronomio" Pratt, who just had his 1972
conviction for murder overturned out in Los Angeles. The court said the
prosecution wrongly suppressed evidence that the main witness against
him was a government informant who was paid by the police and FBI to
infiltrate the Black Panthers. Pratt was lucky. He was represented on
appeal by the celebrated defense attorney, Johnny Cochran.

The case against Conway, too was built primarily on the most dubious
kind of evidence, a jail house informer. The snitch insisted that
Conway, who never wanted the guy as his cell mate, had confessed to him
about the killing of the police officer. It is hard to believe that
someone as politically conscious as Conway would blab to a total
stranger about his supposed involvement in such an outrageous event.
Unfortunately for him, he didn't have a Johnny Cochran-type by his side
at the trial table to protect his rights. Conway had fired both of his
lawyers. the first, who was privately retained, was fired in a dispute
over trial strategy. The second, who had been appointed by the Court to
defend him, but he did little to prepare for trial. Conway had refused
to cooperate with him.

Back in 1970, imporverished black defendants in serious felony cases had
to face the music without having the kind of adequate legal
representation that they were rightfully entitled to under the
Constitution. There wasn't any "Public Defender" system at that time.

Most importantly, there was no physical evidence linking Conway to the
terrible crime. While he was in custody, two of the police officers who
were also involved in the incident identifed his photo as matching the
appearance of one of the assailants on the night in question. The
problem with that gambit was that Conway's attorney wasn't present and
the witnesses were given two stacks of photos to look through. Conway's
mug was place in both of them, unfairly suggesting he was the culprit.
In the first stack,  1963 photo of the defendant was used and neither
officer could make a positive I.D. When his 1970 phto was inserted,
however, they both identified the defendant. The usual polic lineup of
suspects wasn't held either.

A lot of things in this country have changed since the tumultuous "Burn
baby burn!" 60s, especially inmate Conway himself. He has earned three
college degrees while in prison, and organized a computer literacy
program for his fellow inmates. His conduct, too, inside the prison
system has been examplary.

I believe that the State of Maryland, through  the Parole Board or
Governor Parris Glendening, should do the right thing. It is time to
write closure to the Black Panther era. It is also time to free Marshall
"Eddie" Conway. Healing and reconciliation in the community require it.

END OF ARTICLE