George Jackson Case

ATTICA STATE PRISON UPRISING SEPTEMBER 13, 1971 George Jackson the most famous political prisoner in the 70’s and leader of the Black Panther Party was incarcerated at San Quentin Prison in California. He was killed by the State on August 21, 1971. Because of this Attica inmates organized a hunger strike and wore black arm bands. George Jackson’s revolutionary writings in his book he had written “Soledad Brother” was passed from inmate to inmate inside Attica State Prison, which had an enormous impact on the prisoners awareness of their feelings. Mr. Jackson’s death lead to the direct uprising of New York’s Attica State Correctional facility which was approximately two weeks after George
Surviving Inmates and prison employees during the time of the September 13, 1971 riot, described at the trial how state troopers and guards forced naked inmates to run over broken glass past a gauntlet of correction officers swinging nightsticks. Of hostages found dead, two apparently had been killed before the day of the riot and one of them castrated. Nine prisoners were taken to area hospitals for surgery and others were injured, some so serious they probably did not survive. On June 6, 1997, a Federal Jury in Buffalo New York awarded Frank Smith, an Attica inmate at the time, 4 million dollars. He was the first prisoner to be awarded damages for the September 13, 1971 uprising. Frank Smith, stated during the riot, “ he was beaten, forced to walk across broken glass, burned and claimed officers made him lie naked on a picnic table four hours during the riots, threatening him with castration and death.” Frank Smith was accused of castrating hostages and killing an inmate and was indicted on both kidnapping and murder charges, but these charges were dismissed. He stated, these alleged accusations were untrue and that it was not the amount of money but it was about clearing his
He was the first prisoner to be awarded damages for the September 13, 1971 uprising. Frank Smith, stated during the riot, “ he was beaten, forced to walk across broken glass, burned and claimed officers made him lie naked on a picnic table four hours during the riots, threatening him with castration and death.” Frank Smith was accused of castrating hostages and killing an inmate and was indicted on both kidnapping and murder charges, but these charges were dismissed. He stated, these alleged accusations were untrue and that it was not the amount of money but it was about clearing his name. Frank Smith at the time of the Attica uprising was incarcerated for armed robbery. He was released in 1973 and has worked as a paralegal for the Lawyer who represented him, Elizabeth Fink, and he is also as a drug counselor. There are a remaining 1,280 inmates who are currently seeking 2.8 billion dollars in damages for the mishandling and retaking of the Attica prison.

ATTICA STATE PRISON UPRISING SEPTEMBER 13,