40 Years in Solitary: New BBC Program on the Angola 3 Case

by | April 5, 2012

This month marks 40 years in solitary confinement for Herman Wallace and Albert Woodfox, the two members of the Angola 3 who remain in prison–and in 23-hour lockdown–in Louisiana. They were placed in solitary confinement following the 1972 murder of a prison guard, for which they were convicted on highly dubious evidence. They believe that they were targeted because they were members of the Black Panther Party–and that they remain in solitary today for the same reasons. (You can read our stories about the case on MotherJones.com, here, here, and here.)

A new half-hour BBC radio program provides comprehensive and moving coverage of the case. It features Robert King–the third member of the Angola 3, who was released when his conviction was overturned after 29 years in solitary. It also includes interviews with lawyers, family members, activists–and Solitary Watch’s Jean Casella.

You can listen to the full program here, and read the accompanying article here.

You can also sign Amnesty International’s online petition demanding that Wallace and Woodfox be released from solitary confinement.

We’ll be writing more about the Angola 3 next week.

Herman Wallace's sketch of the dimensions of his prison cell
Herman Wallace’s sketch of the dimensions of his prison cell

James Ridgeway

JAMES RIDGEWAY (1936-2021) was founder and co-director of Solitary Watch. An investigative journalist for over 60 years, he served as Washington Correspondent for the Village Voice and Mother Jones, reporting domestically on subjects ranging from electoral politics to corporate malfeasance to the rise of the racist far right, and abroad from Central America, Northern Ireland, Eastern Europe, Haiti, and the former Yugoslavia. Earlier, he wrote for The New Republic and Ramparts, and his work appeared in dozens of other publications. He was the co-director of two films and author of 20 books, including a forthcoming posthumous edition of his groundbreaking 1991 work on the far right, Blood in the Face.

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3 comments

  • laurie

    The issue of indefinite isolation is without color lines, most in isolation today are there without due process on “dubious evidence”. The fact that these men(Angola 3) were put there and no one stood up for their constitutional rights opened the door to allow the government to isolate thousands indefinitely. Shame on America. Hopefully a stand for OUR rights as PEOPLE in this country no matter the color will see an end to this overused unconstitutional practice of torturing our countrymen.

  • Cruel isolation is 40 yrs in solitary confinement. Wallace & Woodfox should have been freed decades ago. I signed the petition & appreciate the information on their well-beings,

  • Fantastic, inspiring, consistent work, i salute you for your diligence in keeping the torture of our people in the forefront.

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