Chico Peace and Justice Center

September 23, 2008

Robert Hillary King was a member of the Black Panther Party who spent 32 years in prison, 29 of them in solitary confinement in Angola Prison, for a crime he did not commit. King was exonerated by the State of Louisiana in February of 2001 and subsequently released. King and two other former members of the Black Panther Party who are still incarcerated (Albert Woodfox and Herman Wallace), comprise the Angola 3. Much has been written about these men and their controversial cases. Albert Woodfox and Herman Wallace to date are the longest-held prisoners in solitary isolation (or closed cell restriction) in the United States.

King has spoken before European parliaments in Belgium and Portugal. He has also spoken in the Netherlands, France, Indonesia, England, Germany, and Venezuela in regard to the Angola 3 and all political prisoners in the U.S. King was received as a guest and dignitary by the African National Congress in South Africa and has spoken with Desmond Tutu. Amnesty International has added the Angola 3 to their 'watch list' of political prisoners/prisoners of conscience. King is the author of a soon to be released book A Cry from the Bottom of the Heap. He continues to lecture across the U.S. besides making a living, wherever he is, as a candy maker. Since being flooded out of his home is New Orleans, he has resided in Austin, Texas with his famously enthusiastic dog Kenya and a crew of friends that he keeps connected.

The Angola 3 have a civil suit pending (King, Woodfox and Wallace vs The State of Louisiana et. al), a case which the Supreme Court of the United States has ruled has merit to proceed, based on claims that their 'solitary isolation' is a violation of the Eighth Amendment of their rights against "cruel and unusual punishment" under the United States Constitution.