Robert King Wilkerson

An interview wit’ former political prisoner Robert King Wilkerson: Part 2

This is part 2 of a POCC: Block Report Radio interview wit’ former political prisoner Robert King Wilkerson of the Angola 3 case. In this section of the interview, King discusses the Counter-Intelligence Program of the United States government, a few facts about the case, as well as what people could do to help out. Stay tuned ...

OI JR: I know that the Counter-Intelligence Program resulted in hundreds of Black Panther political prisoners. As you know, some people, like Imam Jamil Al-Amin, who was then known as H. Rap Brown, was a political prisoner a number of different times, as well as Minister of Defense Huey P. Newton, co-founder of the Black Panther Party, and others. Can you speak to what are the conditions like that Black Panthers, as well as other political prisoners, are held in, in these concentration camps that you were once held in?

King: I can attest to the fact that in Angola, especially after 1972 in April, if you were considered “militant” or “radical” or a member of the Black Panther Party or even the Nation of Islam, but especially if you were a member of the Black Panther Party, the ideal was to segregate you from the rest of the prisoners. And in prison, when you are isolated from the other prisoners, the same type of prison status that you may have in regards to privileges that are given to certain people in prison, this is automatically taken away from you.

And the presumption is, because you are a member of a “radical group” or non-conformist, if you want to use that term, then you are automatically a threat to the system. So you will be placed in the worst conditions at all possible. Your restrictions will be much more severe than those of other prisoners that they might consider less threatening to a certain extent.

MOI JR: What could people do to help Albert Woodfox and Herman Wallace, your codefendants in the Angola 3 case, in securing their freedom from the concentration camp system?

King: Well, at this point in time, I think that we have to make sure that the establishment knows that we are keeping focused constantly on the case – that we will not let it die, and it will not be swept away. And the fact that the magistrate has ruled in our favor, or in the favor of Herman, we’ll wait now and we’ll do whatever we can. This is what Herman would like for us to do.

I talked to Herman. He would like for us to keep the focus on the case, and don’t let it die. Let people know about how long the case has been going on, let people know that despite the fact that we found a judge who was willing to impart justice in his favor, after all this time, that there are still elements within the system who want for him to stay in prison.

So we would like for people to, if possible, write to the governor. Write the judge. Go on the website, www.angola3.org. Check the website. Contact some of our supporters. Go to the website. Then you can find out what is happening with the case; then you could proceed from there.

For instance, it is out there: Everybody knows that Herman’s conviction has been overturned, and the judge said let him out, “He’s innocent.” Evidence shows that this guy who has testified against him was corrupted. He should be out. It has been five months, JR.

MOI JR: When you say corrupted, what do you mean?

King: In other words, corrupted – in legal terms, they use the term “corrupt.” If the promises this guy who testifies, and implicated Herman and Albert into this case, he was an ex-prison guard. This ex-prison guard had been on death-row for years, because he had all types of charges. He had a long record, and they promised him that they would give him some type of leniency if he testified against Herman and Albert. In other words he was bought and paid for. This is what I mean (by saying) he was “corrupted.” In legal terms, that’s what they use.

MOI JR: Again the website is www.angola3.org.  

King: And that will link you up with all of the other websites. We have a lot of links. You could go to www.kingsfreelines.com, and it will link you up with the Angola 3.

MOI JR: Do you have any concluding words?

King: Well, again, JR, I think what we want to do is keep focused and just let people out here know that Herman and Albert really have a lot of hope. They have hope in the people. Herman really feels good about what is going on. His complaint is, in other words not like it was in the past, JR.

He’s optimistic, and he feels that he’ll be out. We feel that he will be out. And we just hope that people who are reading about this case can call in, fax in their dissent about what is going on with regards to how long it has taken the judge to render a decision.

I mean, wow, he’s been in prison now over 40 years. He’s been in solitary confinement going on 35 years. His case has been overturned. Why is the judge being reluctant to adopt his commissioner’s report.

We feel that there might be some hanky-panky going on beneath the table. I understand lawyers not wanting to rock the boat, but I think sometimes we have to become proactive instead of just reactive, because if this judge does not accept the recommendation of his commissioner, then we’re going to react.

So what I am saying is this, we need to do some proactive work around this decision which has been made. We have to just call and fax the judge. Just send word. Create media outlets. Let everybody know what is going on about this case. But also, JR, when we set the pace for this particular case with A3, we’re also focusing on other cases.

I was in New York a few weeks ago. I visited Jalil Muntaqim. We talked for about three hours, and the sentiment is the same. These brothas, they want to be freed. I think Herman and Albert’s case, those cases that are out there, are catalysts for ... and there are other people. There are many people in prison, JR, that we don’t know, who were members of the Black Panther Party, who we determined that they should go underground so that they can stay and continue spreading the legacy, but now they’re open.

They’re people who support the efforts of Herman and Albert getting out. They’ve even written their people out there, letting them know that they support them. When we support Herman and Albert, we support other people as well, and I think that they know that they’re being supported. We set the stage for something to happen for them, when we support Herman and Albert.

Email POCC Minister of Information JR at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , and listen to the Block Report at hiphopwarreport.com or myspace.com/blockreportfilm.

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