[Freethe SF8] Jalil Muntaqim - My Statement on the SF8 Plea Deal

[SF-8 case]

July 6, 2009

TO:  Friends and Supporters
FR:  JALIL A. MUNTAQIM
DT:  July 6, 2009
RE:  My Statement on the S.F. 8 Plea Agreement

First, I would like to thank all my friends and supporters for their  
tenacious and tireless work in support of the S.F.8, especially the  
San Francisco 8 Support Committee, Committee in Defense of Human  
Rights, Asian-Americans Committee for the S.F. 8, Freedom Archives,  
and many others.  I wish to thank the excellent legal team whose  
unwavering commitment to the task was inspiring.  I especially want to  
thank the lawyers who did the majority of the behind-the-scenes  
legwork by name: Soffiyah Elijah, Jenny Kang, Julie de Almeida,  
Heather Hardwick, Rai Sue Sussman, and Lori Flowers.  This team of  
women suffering the testosterone of as many as ten male lead  
attorneys, plus the eight men accused, truly had their feminist code  
tested.  Naturally, I want to thank the most noted private  
investigators, Adam Raskin and Nancy Pemberton, whose investigative  
technique and services were outstanding.

Today we were to start the preliminary hearing but because of our  
strong legal defense team and growing public support, the California  
prosecutor offered plea settlements that could not be ignored.  The  
entire group discussed whether I would plead no contest to conspiracy  
to manslaughter.  After some discussion, I reluctantly agreed to take  
the plea and be sentenced to 3 years probation; 1 year of jail time,  
credit for time served, concurrent with New York State sentence,  
dismissing 1st degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder.  Also,  
because of my plea, four other defendants would have all charges  
dismissed for insufficient evidence.  This was a no-brainer especially  
considering the elder brothers suffered a variety of health issues  
ranging from high blood pressure, chronic respiratory problems,  
diabetes, PTSD, and prostate cancer.  Although I have my own health  
issues, in my near 38 years of imprisonment, I believe I am in better  
shape than all four combined (Ha).  In the last 25 years prior to  
these charges being lodged, the brothers had been living peaceful and  
productive lives raising their families, and offering community  
services.  During the period from their release on bail to this date,  
they had been running themselves ragged across the country telling the  
story of Cointelpro destruction of the Black Panther Party, the Legacy  
of Torture, and building support for the case. While I would have  
liked to have continued the legal fight to what I believe would have  
resulted in complete exoneration of all charges, I know the jury  
system is fickle.  I have seen too many innocent men in prison who  
fought with the conviction of being innocent after a reasonable plea  
bargain was offered, and they ultimately lost due to prosecutorial  
misconduct, defense attorney errors, improper jury instructions by a  
judge, and/or a fickle jury.  Unfortunately, their loss results in  
spending decades in prison fighting for a reversal or waiting to be  
released on parole, or in the worst cases, death row DNA exonerations.  
  The American judicial system is nowhere near being without flaws, as  
the overwhelming number of Black men in prison sorely attests.  Given  
these circumstances, my taking this plea is a bitter-sweet win-win.

Finally, I would like to thank with profound appreciation my attorneys  
Daro Inouye, a 30+ year veteran of the San Francisco Public Defenders  
Office, whose trial experiences and skills are incomparable; and Mark  
Goldrosen, a remarkable, selfless trial technician and writer whose  
understanding of both State and Federal law brought the court (and  
some of the attorneys) to task.

A luta continua -  Jalil