[NYTr] Fmr Black Panther Being Targeted: Harold Taylor Bail Increassed to $7 Million

[All the News That Doesn't Fit]

** URGENT: Letters in support of Harold and asking Judge Moscone not to
change his bail status should be sent to his attorney, Randy Montesano
BY FAX no later than Wednesday, December 19th  SEE attorney Randy
Montesao's note below ** 

sent by Joan Malerich - Dec 17, 2007

Former Black Panther Being Targeted:
Harold Taylor Bail Increassed to $7 Million

On Nov 30, 2007, Bell appeared on "Democracy Now" with hosts Amy Goodman
and Juan Gonzalez, and attended a press conference held by the World
Council of Churches at Riverside Church announcing international
support for the SF8 launched by Archbishop Desmond Tutu and other Nobel
Laureates.

Taylor's account of the torture he suffered in New Orleans prison is at:
http://www.democracynow.org/2007/11/30/former_black_panther

Following the update below is a brief history of the San Francisco 8. 

-Joan Malerich

                          ***

Update from Randy Montesano, Esq.

Prosecutor David Druliner has requested that Harold Taylor's  bail be 
increased to $7million or that he be held without bail. Druliner's 
stated reason for the request is Harold's arrest last week in Florida 
for "attempted purchase of cocaine." A hearing on the bail request has 
been scheduled for Thursday, December 20th @ 9:30 am in Department 23
at 850 Bryant Street.

It is clear from the arrest and all the surrounding circumstances that 
the charge against Harold in Florida is totally baseless. A thorough 
search of his person and his van resulted in NO seizure of any 
substances, legal or illegal. Further, NO allegation is even made that 
any money was produced. Harold was swept up in a sting operation in 
which numerous individuals were arrested. All except Harold were
alleged to have actually made a purchase. None of them were with him
when he was arrested. He has NO drug history!! In short, Harold was in
the wrong place at the wrong time. He had gone to this neighborhood to
thank some of the people that had written letters of support for him
when he was seeking release on bail in San Francisco.

News of his arrest spread quickly and he was bailed out shortly after
he appeared in a Florida court.

Just days earlier he had appeared on "Democracy Now" with host Amy 
Goodman and Juan Gonzalez, and attended a press conference held by the 
World Council of Churches at Riverside Church announcing international 
support for the SF8 launched by Archbishop Desmond Tutu and other Nobel 
Laureates.

Harold has made all of his court appearances and has every intention of 
fighting the charges in San Francisco and Florida. In light of the 
torture he suffered in New Orleans in 1973, his strength and character 
in the face of this latest ordeal are amazing. The stress this has 
caused for him and his family is overwhelming.

Letters in support of Harold and asking Judge Moscone not to change his 
bail status should be sent to his attorney, Randy Montesano by fax no 
later than Wednesday, December 19th.
 
Randy Montesano, Esq.
214 Duboce Avenue
San Francisco, 94103
Fax No. 415-255-8631

Please support these brothers by sending a donation. Make checks
payable to CDHR/Agape and mail to the address below or donate on line:

www.freethesf8.org/donate.html

Committee for the Defense of Human Rights (CDHR)
PO Box 90221
Pasadena, CA 91109
(415) 226-1120
FreetheSF8 at riseup.net

========================================================

http://www.freethesf8.org/

Eight former Black Panthers were arrested January 23rd in California, 
New York and Florida on charges related to the 1971 killing of a San 
Francisco police officer. Similar charges were thrown out after it was 
revealed that police used torture to extract confessions when some of 
these same men were arrested in New Orleans in 1973.

Richard Brown, Richard O'Neal, Ray Boudreaux, and Hank Jones were 
arrested in California. Francisco Torres was arrested in Queens, New 
York. Harold Taylor was arrested in Florida. Two men charged -- Herman 
Bell and Jalil Muntaqim -- have been held as political prisoners for 
over 30 years in New York State prisons. A ninth man -- Ronald Stanley 
Bridgeforth -- is still being sought. The men were charged with the 
murder of Sgt. John Young and conspiracy that encompasses numerous acts 
between 1968 and 1973.

Harold Taylor and John Bowman (recently deceased) as well as Ruben
Scott (thought to be a government witness) were first charged in 1975.
But a judge tossed out the charges, finding that Taylor and his two 
co-defendants made statements after police in New Orleans tortured them 
for several days employing electric shock, cattle prods, beatings, 
sensory deprivation, plastic bags and hot, wet blankets for 
asphyxiation. Such "evidence" is neither credible nor legal.