Page 7 Portland Observer J U L Y 20,1989
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COURT AGAIN DENIES APPEAL FOR GERONIMO
PRATT
Friday, July 7, the Ninth Circuit
Court of appeals refused to recon
sider its decision of one year ago to
throw out Geronimo Pratt’s appeal
on an insignificant legal techn
icality.Pratt, a former Los Angeles
Black Panther Party leader has been
in jail for more than 19 years for a
crime he did not commit. And for 19
years he has fought to uncover and
expose the FBI/COINTELPRO
(counterintelligence program) cam
paign of murder and disruption against
the Black Panther Party and olhers-
a program which took the lives of 38
of Pratt’s Panther brothers and sis
ters.
Last year, after scheduling the ap
peal, after rewarding the briefs, after
hearing oral argument exposing the
COINTELPRO frame-up which put
Pratt behind bars, the panel of three
Nixon and Reagan appointees said
"judicial integrity” required Pratt’s
appeal be thrown out solely because
it was filed a few days late! The full
panel of the Ninth Circuit refused to
reconsider that decision, but in De
cember the same three judges.without
explanation, ordered reargument
solely on the question o f the late
filing. Two days ago they again shot
down Geronimo’s hopes without even
touching the merits of his case.
Thousands have endorsed Pratt’s
fight for freedom. Congressman Ron
Dellums, Chairman of the Congres
sional Black Caucus, has introduced
House Resolution 109, calling for
tne immediate release trom prison
of Elmer ‘Geronimo’ Pratt.” The
Partisan Defense Committee calls on
all of Pratt’s supporters, for labor and
civil rights activists to redouble their
efforts to generate the widest cam
paign of protest and publicity to
demand “ Freedom Now for Geron
imo Pratt.”
" I f they had no intention of let
ting Pratt have his case heard, why
did they call for a rehearing?’' asked
Valerie West, staff counsel of the
Partisan Defense Committed. “ Are
they trying to break the spirit o f a
man who, like Nelson Mandela,
remains unbroken and committed to
the. cause of black freedom?”
To get Pratt behind bars the FBI
withheld evidence and knowingly
allowed an FBI informant to testify
as a chief prosecution witness while
denying he was an informant or had
ever worked for the FBI. In 1987
CBS’ " 6 0 Minutes” aired an expose
of Pratt's frame-up in which jurors at
the initial trial stated they would have
voted to acquit had they known these
facts!
Pratt has long sought the release
of FBI wiretap logs which would
prove Pratt was in Oakland at the
time of the Los Angeles murder. The
FBI claims these records have been
"lo st.” At a 1985 hearing in the fed
eral district court in Los Angeles re
tired FBI agent Wesley Swearingen,
who saw the logs, testified on Pratt’s
behalf. Swearingen has publicly stated
that "P ratt was set up.”
The racist refusal to free this fighter
for the rights of blacks and other mi
norities comes on the heels of recent
TOP LEVEL WELCOME!
U.S. Supreme Court decisions gut
ting the ability of blacks and other
minorities to challenge discrimina
tion through the courts, giving the
green light to execute juveniles and
threatening women's fundamental
right of abortion. The Ninth Circuit’s
refusal to consider Pratt’s appeal il
lustrates the increasing obstacles to
challenging state court frame-ups in
the federal courts, the judicial af
firmation of the segregationists’
cherished "statesrights.” "Itrecalls
what Justice Taney said in sending
Dred Scott back into slavery, that
‘blacks had no rights which the white
man was bound to respect’ “ said
Don Andrews,of the Bay Area Labor
Black League for Social Defense.
“ Pratt, a decorated black Vietnam
vet has spent nearly half his life behind
bars-for committing no ‘crime’ other
than opposing racist oppression, while
Oliver North, a criminal responsible
for the death of tens of thousands of
starving Nicaraguan workers and
peasants, spends not one day in jail.’’?
“ Once again it is shown that CO
INTELPRO resides in the august
chambers of the federal bench,” said
the PDC’s West. "T he court has
inherent power to waive any proce
dural defect, " in the interests of jus
tice.’ But to those given their lofty
positions by the same men who put
Pratt where he is today-Nixon,
Reagan,M eese-fmally setting free
America’s foremost class-war pris
oner is not in the interests of Ameri
can capitalism’s racist ‘justice.’”
Registered Nurse
(Substitute On C all)
Provide health care to students en
rolled in public schools pre-kin-
dergarten-12th, in multnomah
county.
Salary: $1OO.38/Day
Appl deadline: 8/4/89 pm
Call 255-1841, Ext 207 for Multnomah
Education Service District, applica
tion form and additional informa
tion.
presents
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July 21 and 2 2,1989 - 8:00 p.m.
Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall
Honi Coles as Master of Ceremonies
Featuring: Terry Brock, Eddie Brown, Brenda Bufalino, Steve Condos,
Lynn Dally, LaVaughn Robinson, Jimmy Slyde, Dianne Walker, Sam Weber
and The Jazz Tap Ensemble
with
Tickets: Available at: Pacific Ballet Theatre 227-6867
*9.00-*25.00* PCPA 248-4496 Al, GIJoe/Ticketmaster Outlets
Post Performance Party with Michael Harrison and the Tappin' Masters
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GALA NATIONAL URBAN LEAGUE CONCERT TO
FEATURE TOP ENTERTAINERS LOU RAWLS,
ASHFORD & SIMPSON, O’JAYS AND LEVERT
A gala benefit concert will be held on Monday, August 7 at 7:30 p.m. during the National Urban League
Conference at the Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C.
Headlining the concert will be the popular songwriting/singing team of Ashford & Simpson, four time
Grammy award-winner Lou Rawls, the legendary O ’Jays, and LeVert of “ Casanova fame. The concert is
sponsored by Anheuser-Bush Companies, CBS RECORDS INC., Coca Cola Company, and Warner Commu
nications Inc.
The concert, open to the public and conference participants, will be held in Hall A of the Washington
Convention Center. Tickets will be sold through advanced registration and will be available through Washington
area Ticketron outlets and at the Washington Convention Center Box office.
Ticket prices are $20 for General Admission and $100 for Premium Admission. Those purchasing $100
tickets will enjoy premium seating at the concert, plus an invitation to the Post-Gala Reception with the concert
stars. Special Benefactor Packages will also be available that will include unique gifts and events.
For inquiries, contact the Conferences Department, National Urban League, Inc. 500 East 62nd Street, New
York, NY 10021, (212) 310-9033.
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3
<VI
New Orleans Mayor Sidney Barthelemy, center, welcomes Michael
Green, Manager, Black Consumer Marketing, Pepsi-Cola Company and
Ronald Harrison, Director, Community Relations, PepsiCo, to New Orleans
recently for the 49th Annual Convention of the National Newspaper
Publishers Association. The mayor brought greetings during the luncheon
meeting sponsored by PepsiCo and Pepsi-Cola. Dr. William Robinson,
Director, Minority Health Services, U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services, urged the publishers and their guests to join in the federal agency’s
attempt to improve the health of the African American family. Dr. Robinson
spoke on behalf of Dr. Louis W. Sullivan, Secretary of Health and Human
Services.
“Junction City High's been in a bind
recently. M oney's been tight. Even
had to close for awhile. To add insult to
injury, the school's old gas heating
system started giving out. and it was
rom w here Superintendent Ike Launstein stands,
Dave Nixon is a good teacher. Maybe not the kind
in school but certainly the kind who can teach you
your basics.
His story, on the right, is a good example o f how
we can help solve a wide range o f problems with inno
vative energy-related solutions.
Today, we can help you discover new ways to ex
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F
Henry Weinhard’s Private Reserve Presents: ,
THE TEMPTATIONS
ETTA JAMES & THE ROOTS BAND
BODY & SOUL
Friday August 18 at 7:30 p.m.
Pioneer Courthouse Square
The biggest block party of the summer' Tickets are available at all G I Joe's TICKET
MASTER locations and Powell's Travelstore on the Square Or charge by phone
992 7425 Tickets S18 00 plus service charge Proceeds benefit Pioneer Courthouse
Square
k'tsf'
MEIER&FRANK
ehe (0t ctUHiiaii
costing a mint just to keep it running.
"So we pitched in, combined some
basic arithmetic with some textbook
heat pump systems and came up with a
solution that was cheaper to run. easier
to maintain. And gave them cool air as
part of the bargain.
"Something their old out
dated gas system would never
have been able to offer.
"I was happy we
could lend a hand, and
solve their problems.
It made a difference
PACIFIC PO W ER
for our community,
ENERGY
and our kids."
S E R V IC E S
Expect More From Us.
.