On 28 February 1972, the trial of prominent Black communist Angela Davis for murder, kidnapping and conspiracy began in San Jose, California. The trial resulted from a courtroom shootout in 1970 in which four people were killed. Davis had purchased some of the firearms used in the incident, which resulted in the deaths of Black Panthers Jonathan Jackson, William Christmas and James McClain, as well as judge Harold Haley. Davis was not present at the scene, and she declared herself innocent of all charges. By the time the trial had begun, nearly 300 groups had sprung up around the world supporting her and working for her freedom, and John Lennon and Yoko Ono contributed the song "Angela" to the campaign. Angela Davis had a team of experienced lawyers, but she delivered her opening defence address herself. The defence demolished the prosecution's case, and eventually on 4 June, the all-white jury came back with not-guilty verdicts on all charges. In this collection of writings, Davis tells the story of her incarceration, and of prison in the US more generally: https://shop.workingclasshistory.com/collections/black-history/products/if-they-come-in-the-morning-angela-davis
Angela Davis trial - WCH | Stories
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