San Francisco 8
Encyclopedia
In January 2007, eight former Black Panthers were arrested for their alleged involvement in the 1971 murder of Sgt. John V. Young at Ingleside Police station, a thirty-six year old unsolved crime.
Richard Brown, Richard O'Neal, Ray Boudreaux, and Hank Jones were arrested in California. Francisco Torres was arrested in Queens, New York. Harold Taylor was arrested in Florida. Two of the men charged have been in prison for over 30 years, Herman Bell and Jalil Muntaqim. Bail amounts were originally set between three and five million dollars each. Supporters now call these men the San Francisco 8.
Six of the defendants have since been bailed out of their pre-trial detention.
In January 2008, charges of conspiracy were dropped against five of the defendants, and Richard O'Neal was removed from the case all together, changing the name of the case to the San Francisco 7.
A panel discussion of the SF8 can be found on GritTV.
On June 29, 2009 Herman Bell pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter in the death of Sgt. Young. In July 2009, charges were dropped against four of the accused: Ray Boudreaux, Henry W. Jones, Richard Brown and Harold Taylor. Also that month Jalil Muntaquim pleaded no contest to conspiracy to commit voluntary manslaughter becoming the second person to be convicted in this case.
Richard Brown, Richard O'Neal, Ray Boudreaux, and Hank Jones were arrested in California. Francisco Torres was arrested in Queens, New York. Harold Taylor was arrested in Florida. Two of the men charged have been in prison for over 30 years, Herman Bell and Jalil Muntaqim. Bail amounts were originally set between three and five million dollars each. Supporters now call these men the San Francisco 8.
Six of the defendants have since been bailed out of their pre-trial detention.
In January 2008, charges of conspiracy were dropped against five of the defendants, and Richard O'Neal was removed from the case all together, changing the name of the case to the San Francisco 7.
A panel discussion of the SF8 can be found on GritTV.
On June 29, 2009 Herman Bell pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter in the death of Sgt. Young. In July 2009, charges were dropped against four of the accused: Ray Boudreaux, Henry W. Jones, Richard Brown and Harold Taylor. Also that month Jalil Muntaquim pleaded no contest to conspiracy to commit voluntary manslaughter becoming the second person to be convicted in this case.
Sources
- http://www.counterpunch.org/jacobs02082007.html The Case of the San Francisco 8 By RON JACOBS counterpunch February 8, 2007
- http://www.freethesf8.org/ sf8 website
- http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/01/09/BALJUBKMK.DTL January 2008 ruling