Declare Black Panther’s 39-year incarceration is ‘long enough’
Our Weekly – Los Angeles
By Shirley Hawkins
Dozens of activists, supporters, and former members of the Black Panthers Party showed their solidarity Saturday for Romaine ‘Chip’ Fitzgerald, a former member of the Southern California Chapter of the Black Panther Party who has been imprisoned for 39 years.
A national groundswell of support is growing for the incarcerated political prisoner and nearly 3,000 signatures have been compiled on a “Petition for the Release to Free Romaine ‘Chip’ Fitzgerald.” The activist is currently incarcerated at Centinela State Prison in the Imperial Valley.
The rally, which was held at the KAOS Network in Leimert Park and organized by The Committee to Free Chip Fitzgerald, was held to show support for the former Black Panther whose parole date was July 2.
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Official Press Release After Parole Hearing
On July 2, 2008, Romaine “Chip” Fitzgerald was denied parole by the California Board of Parole Hearings for one more year. That is, he will not be eligible for another hearing until July 2009. The Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner conducting the hearing for the entire Board said Chip had to do more “programming,” such as participating in group discussions and counseling—all of which “rehabilitative” work and more Chip has performed and completed over these 38 years.
The Deputy Commissioner, Lee Cox, a former prison guard who became a lieutenant, stated that the nearly-3,000 signatures on Chip’s Petition and the numerous support letters, offering Chip a UCLA education, housing, employment and publication of a book about his life meant nothing to her, that “the people who sign them [petitions] and write letters really don’t know what goes on with these inmates.” It is significant that it was Lt. Cox who seemed to influence the ultimate decision, bolstered by her charge that Chip had some rules violations in 2005. considering that even Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has been critical of the extraordinary power wielded by California prison guards and their union, the California Correctional Peace Officers Association, in its management of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and influence over the parole process.
Chip was in good spirits at the end of the hearing and did not seem surprised by the outcome.
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San Francisco Bay View
by Emani Bey and Jenn Laskin
Wednesday, 18 June 2008
Committee to Free Chip Fitzgerald
Imperial, California — On July 2, the possibility of freedom awaits Romaine “Chip” Fitzgerald, who has been in prison over 38 years. This is the date of his upcoming parole hearing.
Chip’s case epitomizes the culmination of the dirty tricks and tactics the U.S. government employed in its effort to destroy the Black Panther Party, of which he was a member when he was arrested. It is well-documented that, in the late 1960s, the FBI and other policing agencies of the government developed and carried out a concerted plan to neutralize or wipe out the Black Panther Party, after FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover issued his infamous declaration that the Party was the “greatest threat” to the nation’s security. As a result of the FBI’s brutal campaign, many party leaders were assassinated, falsely imprisoned, imprisoned under extraordinary sentences, slandered and demonized, as party offices were assaulted and party programs were undermined.
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A Black Agenda Radio commentary by BAR Managing Editor Bruce Dixon
Romaine “Chip” Fitzgerald, a former member of the Black Panther Party in southern California, has languished in prison since 1969, almost 40 years. Along with more than one hundred other California death row prisoners, his sentence was commuted to life in 1972. While the majority of those former death row prisoners have since been paroled, Fitzgerald has not. Having expressed deep and sincere remorse for the acts he was convicted of so long ago, and posing no threat to anyone, Chip Fitzgerald now awaits a July 2 parole hearing.
We respectfully request that our readers sign the petition at the end of the article which will be presented to the parole board prior to the hearing.
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The goal is to have 100,000 signatures urging the release of Romaine “Chip” Fitzgerald on July 2 by the California Board of Parole Hearings.
Imperial, CA (BlackNews.com) – On July 2, 2008, the possibility of freedom awaits Romaine “Chip” Fitzgerald, who has been in prison over 38 years. This is the date of his upcoming parole hearing. Chip’s case epitomizes the culmination of the dirty tricks and tactics the U.S. government employed in its effort to destroy the Black Panther Party, of which he was a member when he was arrested.
It is well-documented that, in the late 1960s, the FBI and other policing agencies of the government developed and carried out a concerted plan to neutralize or wipe out the Black Panther Party, after FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover issued his infamous declaration that the Party was the “greatest threat” to the nation’s security. As a result of the FBI’s brutal campaign, many Party leaders were assassinated, falsely imprisoned, imprisoned under extraordinary sentences, slandered and demonized, as Party offices were assaulted and Party programs were undermined. On January 17, 1969, the Party’s Southern California Chapter, of which Chip was a member, suffered the loss of its main leaders, Alprentice “Bunchy” Carter and John Huggins, at the hands of FBI-sponsored assassins. Prior to that, in August of 1968, Los Angeles police gunned down Panthers Tommy Lewis, Steve Bartholomew and Robert Lawrence in a single incident.
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Original published in The Black Panther newspaper
ROMAINE FITZGERALD … known affectionately as ‘Chip’ is now on death row in San Quentin State Prison. This brother was railroaded by a racist lawyer and jury who all agreed this Panther should be sentenced to the gas chamber after a mock four day trial. Chip was sent to San Quentin immediately to make it difficult for his family to visit and communicate with him. Proving again the spirit is truly than the contempt of pigs, the Party to send Chip’s mother and family, as often as they can make the trip to see the brother in order to keep his spirit high. Chip is just one of the many strong brothers who have faced repeated attempts of genocide by the fascist pigs here in L.A. Before being arrested on this trumped up charge, Chip was constantly stopped and harassed by the pigs in L.A. for no other reason than serving the people. He now awaits appeal, and does so with the knowledge that victory and liberation, in the final analysis, belong to the people.