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Panther vets shackled in San Francisco court
Wednesday, February 14 (Jericho)— In a significant showing of support this morning, family and friends of four of the "San Francisco 8" packed a hearing room at San Francisco Superior Court. Many people were unable to actually get in. As Ray Boudreaux, Richard Brown, Hank Jones and Richard O'Neal were brought into the courtroom in shackles, supporters burst into applause.
The large showing of deputy sheriffs and SWAT officers cleared the courtroom. People gathered in the hallway chanting "No justice, no peace."
When defense attorneys objected to closing a public hearing, Judge Donna Little agreed to let people back into court if they agreed to not be noisy. But first every individual was again searched by sheriffs and wanded with metal detectors.
Unlike their previous court appearances since the arrests in January, the former Black Panthers were shackled with close to a dozen sheriff's deputies and SWAT officers inside the courtroom.
The hearing opened with defense attorneys arguing for reduced security at the courthouse and the unshackling of the brothers as "they represent no threat to the court or the public." It was pointed out that they had appeared voluntarily and without need of such extensive police presence during the 2005 San Francisco Grand Jury, and that the shackling and heavy security were prejudicial—feeding sensationalist coverage by the corporate media. The court agreed to hear security issues in a future meeting with the Sherriff and lawyers.
None of the men have yet entered pleas in the conspiracy and murder case stemming from the killing of a San Franciso police officer at the Ingleside Police Station in August of 1971.
Although there has yet to be a formal bail hearing, Judge Little lowered bail for Ray Boudreaux and Hank Jones from $5 million to $3 million—still outrageous—the same amount set for Richard Brown and Richard O'Neal.
Bail and other motions are scheduled to be heard on Tuesday, March 13th.
“Today’s court appearance was significant in a number of ways,” said defense attorney Stuart Hanlon. “The strong public support for the four men in court was a powerful reminder that these men are part of their communities and are not criminals. The Attorney Generals’ comments made clear that the State Prosecutors want to keep these men in jail on high bail and that they will make excuses to explain the 35-year delay in bringing this case.
“It was made clear to us that this is the beginning skirmish of a legal war with high stakes—the freedom of these eight former Panthers and the rewriting of political history by the government criminalizing the Black Panther Party and African American freedom fighters from the sixties and seventies. It is a war we will win and that we have to win. And it is a war where the support of the community, in and out of court, is crucial.”
The brothers seemed strong and in good spirits.