Dear Sisters and Brothers:

On May 2, 1973, three former members of the New York City chapter of the Black Panther Party - - Sundiata Acoli, Assata Shakur and Zayd Malik Shakur-- were stopped on the New Jersey Turnpike for a purportedly "faulty tail-light." A shoot-out ensued during which a state trooper, Werner Foster, and Zayd were killed and Assata and Sundiata wounded. Both Assata and Sundiata were subsequently convicted of the murder of the trooper and related charges and sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole.

Twenty-six years later Sundiata remains in prison, and if New Jersey governor, Christine Todd Whitman, and the New Jersey State Parole Board have their way, will remain there for the remainder of his life. In 1994, Sundiata appeared before the Parole Board was denied parole and assigned a new parole eligibility date in 2006. At the time of his appearance before the Parole Board, Sundiata had maintained a "charge free" record for eight years and had outstanding educational and work reports. However, the Parole Board, in denying Sundiata's release ignored all of the evidence supporting his release and instead concluded that a substantial likelihood existed that if released on parole Sundiata would commit another crime because of, inter alia, his former membership in the BPP; his characterization of himself as a "political prisoner," and because his family, friends and supporters had written letters to the Parole Board demanding his release. 

In other words, Sundiata is being held in prison because of his and his supporters First Amendment protected beliefs and activities. The transcript of Sunidata's telephonic parole hearings and the Board's decisions also make clear that the Parole Board had predetermined to deny Sundiata parole in violation of his right to due process of law.   Twenty six years is long enough! No evidence exists that if released on parole, Sundiata, who is now 62 years old, will embark on a life of "crime." Sundiata has already served more time than the average person convicted of murder. Just because Sundiata is a former member of the Black Panther Party and was convicted of a murder of state trooper, along with another well known member of the BPP, Assata Shakur who successfully escaped and was deservedly granted political asylum in Cuba, should not mean that Sundiata should spend the remainder of his life in prison. The purpose of prison, except in the instances in which the barbaric punishment of death is imposed, is supposed to be rehabilitation, not torture and revenge!

Sundiata has unsuccessfully appealed the Parole Board's decision up to the United States Supreme Court and is presently preparing to file a writ of habeas corpus in federal court. In conjunction with the filing of his writ of habeas corpus, Sundiata is launching a mass campaign calling on Governor Whitman and the Parole Board to release him on parole. To succeed, he needs your support and the support of others like you.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

1. Endorse the following "Call for Release of Sundiata Acoli" by filling out and returning the form below the Call to the Sundiata Acoli Freedom Campaign today at SAParole@aol.com. Please include your full name, address and organizational afflation, if any.

2. Copy and circulate this letter and Call for the Release of Sundiata Acoli to as many people as possible.

Thank you in advance for your support of the freedom of Sundiata Acoli. 

Sincerely,

Joan P. Gibbs, Esq.
Florence Morgan, Esq.
Legal Advisors to Sundiata Acoli

CALL FOR THE RELEASE OF SUNDIATA ACOLI

For the past twenty-six years, Sundiata Acoli a former member of the New York City chapter of the Black Panther Party and one of the "Panther 21" years has been imprisoned on New Jersey state charges stemming from a May 1973 incident involving Sundiata and two other former members of the BPP, Assata Shakur and Zayd Malik Shakur. On May 2, 1973, while driving south on the New Jersey Turnpike, Sundiata, Assata and Zayd, were stopped for a purportedly "faulty tail-light." A shoot-out ensued during which a state trooper, Werner Foster, and Zayd were killed and Assata and Sundiata wounded. Both Assata and Sundiata were subsequently convicted of the murder of the trooper and related charges and sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole.

In 1994, Sundiata appeared before the Parole Board was denied parole and assigned a new parole eligibility date of 2006. At the time of his appearance before the Parole Board, Sundiata had maintained a "charge free" record for eight years and had outstanding progress, work and educational reports. In denying Sundiata release on parole, the Parole Board ignored all of the evidence supporting his release and instead concluded that a substantial likelihood existed that if released on parole Sundiata would commit another crime because of, inter alia, his former membership in the BPP and his characterization of himself as a "political prisoner." In addition, the Parole Board cited the fact that his family, friends and supporters had written letters to the Parole Board demanding his release, in blatant violation of his and supporters rights under the First Amendment! Indeed, the transcripts of Sundiata's telephonic parole hearings and the Parole Board's decision strongly suggest that the Parole Board had predetermined to deny Sunidata release on parole in violation of his right to due process of law.

Twenty six years is long enough! No evidence exists that if released on parole, Sundiata, who is now 62 years old, will embark on a life of "crime." The purpose of prison, except in the instances in which the barbaric punishment of death is imposed, is supposed to be rehabilitation, not torture and revenge! Sundiata has already spend more time in prison than others convicted of similar crimes. Just because Sundiata is a former member of the Black Panther Party and was convicted along with another well known member of the BPP Assata Shakur who successfully escaped and was deservedly granted political asylum in Cuba, should not mean that Sundiata should spend the remainder of his life in prison.

We, the undersigned, therefore call on the Governor of New Jersey Christine Whitman and the New Jersey State Parole to immediately release Sundiata Acoli on parole.

Name: ____________________________________________________________

Address: _________________________________________________________

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Telephone: _______________________ Fax: __________________________

Electronic Mail: _________________________________________________

Organizational Affiliation For Identification Only: ______________

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[ ] Yes, I support the Call for the Release of Sundiata Acoli.