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Sundiata Acoli, convicted in murder of state trooper in 1973, released from
prison 5/27/2022 NJ Advance Media: "Acoli is now living with his daughter
in Brooklyn and spent Wednesday with his grandson, Afran said. “He is beginning
the process of becoming his own man,” Afran told NJ Advance Media. The Bring
Sundiata Acoli Home Alliance, an advocacy group, said Acoli “walked out of
prison into the arms of his family and loved ones.”"
Black police groups will argue before N.J. Supreme Court to grant parole to man
convicted of killing trooper 2/1/2022 NJ: "Four of the groups are
organizations of Blacks in law enforcement, and seven will argue that Acoli, now
84, is being unjustly barred from parole for the 1973 killing of Trooper Werner
Foerster and wounding of another trooper on the New Jersey Turnpike, lawyers for
the organizations say."
Cops' support spotlights race issues in ex-Black Panther's parole case 9/13/2021 Reuters: "I
asked Soffiyah Elijah, executive director of the Alliance of Families for
Justice, about what makes this case different than other parole petitions.
Elijah has worked with Sundiata for 30 years, and coordinated the filing of
amici briefs in the case. REUTERS: Why do you think the board has repeatedly
denied Acoli parole? ELIJAH: Without meaning to sound flippant, that's probably
best put to them. The law is very clear that the burden of proving someone isn't
fit to be released is on the board, not the person petitioning. But this board
has persistently ignored that standard and shifted that burden to Mr. Acoli, in
violation of the law, in our view. REUTERS: What’s different about Acoli’s case,
in your view? ELIJAH: There are a few things. But importantly, it’s clear from
the transcript of Mr. Acoli’s parole hearings that there was a litany of
interrogation about organizations he belonged to and political writings from 50
years ago – which tells us nothing about someone who is 84 and their odds of
recidivism. Regardless, his incarcerated record speaks for itself: He’s gotten
not one disciplinary ticket in 25 years and was chosen by the government to
teach critical thinking in prison -- a class about preventing recidivism --
which certainly speaks to his character."
After Half Century in Prison, Elderly Black Panther Should Not Be Left to Die 3/28/2021 The
Intercept: "SUNDIATA ACOLI IS 84 years old and has been in prison for nearly
half a century. When the state of New Jersey locked him up in 1974, Acoli was
not sentenced to die behind bars; he has been eligible for parole for almost
three decades. The much-loved father and grandfather has an exemplary
disciplinary record and a stellar history of work and academic achievement while
incarcerated. His parole bid in February was denied. Acoli will likely not live
long enough to appear before the board again."
Sundiata Acoli’s “Affirmation” 2/27/2018 Black Agenda Radio: "Political
prisoner Sundiata Acoli, who was arrested with fellow Black Panther Assata
Shakur in 1973, is among a host of political prisoners and activists that took
part in a reading of Shakur’s poem, “Affirmation,” written in exile in Cuba.
Acoli will not be eligible for parole until 2032, when he will be 94 years old.
“Affirmation” reads, in part: “I have been locked up by the lawless, handcuffed
by the haters, gagged by the greedy, and if I know anything at all, it’s that a
wall is just a wall…it can be broken down.”"
Former Black Panther serving life sentence for murder denied release 11/29/2016 Guardian: "“This
is a punch to the gut,” said Soffiyah Elijah, an attorney who represented Acoli
for decades and visited him days before he learned of his latest denial on 21
November."
New Jersey Parole Board Files To Block Release Of Trooper Werner Foerster’s
Killer 10/8/2014 AP: "New Jersey’s parole board has filed in court to stop
the release of a man convicted of killing a state trooper more than 40 years
ago. A two-member panel of the state parole board denied Sundiata Acoli’s parole
in 2011, but an appeals court reversed the ruling last month and ordered Acoli
released."
Sundiata Acoli, Man Who Murdered State Trooper, To Be Released On Parole 9/29/2014 Huff
Post: "A man convicted in the shooting death of a New Jersey state trooper in a
crime that still provokes strong emotion among law enforcement more than 40
years later was ordered released on parole by a state appeals court Monday.
Sundiata Acoli was known as Clark Edward Squire when he was convicted of the
1973 slaying of state trooper Werner Foerster during a stop on the New Jersey
Turnpike. Now in his mid-70s, he was denied parole most recently in 2011, but
the appellate judges reversed that ruling Monday. In a 28-page opinion, the
panel wrote that the parole board ignored evidence favorable to Acoli and gave
undue consideration to past events such as a probation violation that occurred
decades earlier."
Feds Falsely Use Specter of Terrorism to Hunt Down Black Liberation Activist 5/18/2013 Truth
Out: "Despite two mistrials--one in 1973 and one in 1974--and despite the fact
that Sundiata Acoli had already been convicted of the murder of Werner Foerster,
Assata Shakur was found guilty of first-degree murder in 1977. The trial was
full of constitutional violations, including a visit by a New Jersey state
assembly member to the sequestered, all-white jury, urging them to convict her.
After already serving four years in jail, she was sentenced to life in prison."
Life, health care, prisons and cutting costs by Sundiata Acoli 10/4/2009 SF
Bay View
Black August ‘05 Tribute to Assata, Mumia, Evelyn Williams, Esq., Lynne Stewart,
Esq., and Zolo Azania by Sundiata Acoli 8/10/2005 SF Bay View: "Lynne
Stewart, Esq., our White comrade and a 65-year-old grandmother, not only
commands our highest respect, but her present situation also demands our
strongest support. She has been on the front lines over 30 years unflinchingly
defending political people of all nationalities, particularly Black and other
people of color, and oppressed peoples in general. Because of Lynne’s staunch
defense of unpopular political defendants, her own freedom now hangs in the
balance. She was recently convicted of violating “special administrative
measures” in her defense of the blind Egyptian Sheikh Omar Abdel Rahman and now
faces up to 30 years in prison. Her sentencing date is scheduled for Sept. 23,
2005. Lynne urgently needs all the “letters to the judge” that we can write to
try to convince him that Lynne’s age (65 and counting), her 30 years of service
to communities that rarely see vigorous lawyering, and the weakness of the
government’s charges and proof should lead to a sentence of no incarceration."
Parole decision due for N.J. trooper's killer 6/29/2004 Home News
Tribune: "Sundiata Acoli will learn today whether he will gain his freedom or
continue serving time for the May 3, 1973, murder of New Jersey State Trooper
Werner Foerster."
Call for support for Malcolm Shabazz and Sundiata Acoli 2/4/2004 SF Bay
View: scroll down for section on Sundiata - "The Sundiata Acoli Freedom Campaign
would like to thank everyone who sent letters in support of Sundiata Acoli’s
parole. The parole hearing that was to take place last month did not happen. The
parole hearing was moved to sometime in February. We would like to encourage
everyone to continue to send in letters of support for the release of our dear
brotha. Please include in your letter the standard governing the granting of
parole under the New Jersey’s 1979 Parole Act: “Prisoners shall be released on
parole unless it is shown by a preponderance of the evidence that the inmate
will commit a crime if released.” Sundiata Acoli just turned 67 years old. He
has been held captive for the past 30 years, and it is time to bring him home."
Free Sundiata Acoli - Sundiata needs you to send a letter to the parole board
now! 11/7/2003 SF Bay View: "Nancy Jacot-Bell, wife of U.S. political
prisoner Herman Bell, sent the Bay View this urgent message: We’ve just learned
that Sundiata Acoli's parole board appearance has been moved forward. He will go
before the board 30-60 days from now, or no later than Jan. 2, 2004. His support
group MUST have letters of support no later than Nov. 15! " Actually, one of
Sundiata's attorneys tells us letters can be sent until December 15, 2003.
U.S. policy on undermining Black leaders, the Black community and Afrika 10/15/2003 SF
Bay View: "Sundiata is a political prisoner, a brilliant mathematician, artist
and committed freedom fighter for the New Afrikan Nation. Keep your eyes and
ears open for updated information on Sundiata’s most recent parole efforts, as
we must answer the call and support! Sundiata submitted the following document
for Black August. It was not received at the Bay View in time for publication in
August, and so, in honor of Sundiata’s legendary service in the Black Panther
Party, we saved it for Black Panther History Month. Here is National Security
Council Memorandum-46, an official policy statement issued in 1978 during the
Carter administration of U.S. policy on undermining Black leaders, the Black
community and Afrika:"
Attorneys Visit With Sundiata/Reflections on Organizing! 12/23/2001 Afrikan
Identity: Sundiata, along with many other political prisoners, was put in
lockdown after 9-11. He is still heavily restricted, as per his attorney -
"Sundiata was not informed that his social visits and mail was reinstated, so
Soffiyah believe the administration may have lied to her. i'm encouraging
everyone to continue to write Sundiata. He is only let out of his cage upon
visits, he showers in the cage as well, anyone thats on his visiting list that
can, please go and visit with him." Sundiata was in the car with Assata when
they were assaulted by a Nazi
cell in the NJ State Police.
You're in the Hole - A CRACKDOWN ON DISSIDENT PRISONERS 11/17/2001 The
Progressive: USA is a police state: "Since 1973, Sundiata Acoli has been serving
a life sentence for the murders of a police officer and a fellow Black
Liberation Army member in a shootout in which Acoli drove the getaway car.
Shortly after the September 11 attack, he found himself in the hole. Soffiyah
Elijah, a clinical instructor at Harvard Law School's Criminal Justice
Institute, is one of several lawyers who represent Acoli. "None of us have had
access to him," she says. I talked to Elijah on October 25. The day before, she
said, was her first opportunity to speak with Acoli in nearly six weeks. She
said she made so many calls that she lost count. "I was constantly on the phone
to the lawyers of the B.O.P. [Bureau of Prisons]," she said. Elijah gave me a
copy of a letter on U.S. Department of Justice/Bureau of Prisons stationery. It
is dated September 26 and is signed Jake Mendez, Warden of the U.S. Penitentiary
in Allenwood, Pennsylvania, where Sundiata Acoli (whose former name, used on all
Bureau of Prison records, is Clark Squire) is incarcerated. "Dear Ms. Elijah,"
says the letter, "I am in receipt of your letter wherein you request Inmate
Clark Squire be permitted a legal telephone call. . . . Inmate Squire is
currently not authorized telephone privileges, including legal telephone calls.
This has been enacted for security reasons. Moreover, my review indicates Inmate
Squire does not have legal action pending at this time. Accordingly, I am
denying your request to allow Inmate Squire a legal telephone call." Elijah says
that the order for Acoli's segregation did not come from the individual prison,
but from Washington."
A Brief History of the Black Panther Party. Its Place in the Black Liberation
Movement 6/1/1995 World History Archives: By Sundiata Acoli, from the
Sundiata Acoli Freedom Campaign, 1995
SAVE THE DATE!!! FREEDOM DANCE SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 14TH 7 TO 11 P.M. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. LABOR CENTER, 1199 SEIU 310 W. 43RD STREET, btw. 8TH & 9TH AVENUES NEW YORK, NY 10036 $20 ADMISSION, FOOD AND BEVERAGES FOR PURCHASE Fund Raiser for the Sundiata Acoli Freedom Campaign (SAFC) On Saturday, November 14th, we will dance and celebrate at Freedom Dance. This celebration is an opportunity for us as a community to acknowledge our victories and renew our efforts to continue this essential work. We celebrate the liberation and freedom of our sister Assata Shakur, who along with many other Political Prisoners (who still remain behind the walls) set the example of unselfish sacrifice for our beloved people. We also celebrate the sacrifice of those freedom fighters whose spirits were released due to their physical demise. This is a celebration for them all. We will especially honor Sundiata Acoli. Through music and the warm meaningful collective interaction of dance and laughter, we will reaffirm our commitment to their freedom. |
| September 18, 1999 SUNDIATA ACOLI FREEDOM CAMPAIGN 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. Joan P. Gibbs, Esq. 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: _________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ Telephone: _______________________ Fax: __________________________ Electronic Mail: _________________________________________________ Organizational Affiliation For Identification Only: ______________ __________________________________________________________________ [ ] Yes, I support the Call for the Release of Sundiata Acoli. [ ] No, I do not support the Call for the Release of Sundiata Acoli |
POEM FOR SUNDIATA by Assata Shakur I remember your smileBright as the sun’s explosion Wide as the arms of Yemaya Deep as a gushing well of kindness I remember your smile Slow like the dawn of recognition Quick like the wit of observation Clear as the logic of common sense I remember your smile Frank as a simple declaration Even when you were young Your smile is like an umbilical cord Your smile When they came and they took my baby Wrote off our lives with reams of paper In the midst of body bags In the midst of affirmative negation They been trying to take your smile All of us smile lovers We love your smile |
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Sundiata Acoli