Angola 3: Three Men, Decades In Solitary Confinement

The Angola 3 were three African American former prison inmates—Robert Hillary King, Albert Woodfox, and Herman Wallace—who were held for decades in solitary confinement at Louisiana State Penitentiary, also known as Angola Prison. They were targeted for their activism as members of the Black Panther Party in the 1970s and endured a combined total of 114 years in solitary confinement. They were charged with the murder of a prison corrections officer in 1972, but their supporters maintained that they were innocent and that they had been targeted for their activism. Woodfox and Wallace were convicted in 1974 and served more than 40 years each in solitary confinement, the longest period of solitary confinement in American prison history. King was convicted of a separate prison murder in 1973 and spent 29 years in solitary confinement before his conviction was overturned on appeal. He was released in 2001 after taking a plea deal. Wallace was released in 2013 due to terminal liver cancer and died three days later. Woodfox was released in 2016 and died in 2022 from COVID-19 complications.

The Angola 3 were 3 African-American inmates held in solitary confinement for decades

The Angola 3 were three African-American inmates—Robert Hillary King, Albert Woodfox, and Herman Wallace—who were held in solitary confinement for decades. The three men were targeted for their activism as members of the Black Panther Party in the 1970s. They were held in solitary confinement in the Louisiana State Penitentiary, also known as Angola Prison.

King was convicted of a separate prison murder in 1973 and spent 29 years in solitary confinement before his conviction was overturned on appeal. He was released in 2001 after taking a plea deal.

Woodfox and Wallace were indicted in April 1972 for the killing of a prison corrections officer and convicted in January 1974. They served more than 40 years each in solitary confinement, the "longest period of solitary confinement in American prison history". In 1993, Woodfox's 1974 conviction for the murder was overturned on the constitutional grounds of inadequate counsel at the first trial, but the state indicted him again that year. In 1998, Woodfox was convicted a second time for the prison murder.

In July 2013, Amnesty International called for the release of 71-year-old Wallace, who had been diagnosed with terminal liver cancer. He was released in October 2013 due to a judge overturning his original indictment because of the lack of female jurors. Wallace died on October 4, 2013, three days after his release.

Woodfox's conviction was overturned by the US Court of Appeals in November 2014. He was released in February 2016 after the prosecution agreed to drop its push for a retrial and accept his plea of no contest to lesser charges of burglary and manslaughter. Woodfox died from COVID-19 complications in August 2022.

In 2000, the Angola Three filed a civil suit against the Louisiana Department of Corrections, challenging the practice of long-term solitary confinement. As of 2019, their case is still pending.

They were Robert Hillary King, Albert Woodfox, and Herman Wallace

Robert Hillary King, Albert Woodfox, and Herman Wallace were the three men known as the Angola 3. They were imprisoned at Louisiana State Penitentiary, also known as Angola Prison, a former slave plantation. All three men were held in solitary confinement for decades, with Woodfox and Wallace serving over 40 years each, the longest period of solitary confinement in American prison history.

King was convicted of armed robbery and a separate prison murder in 1973. He was sentenced to 35 years and was first held at Orleans Parish Prison, where he met Woodfox. After being granted parole in 1965, he returned to New Orleans, where he married and began a brief semi-pro boxing career. However, he was arrested again on robbery charges and, upon his return to Orleans Parish Prison, he met members of the Black Panther Party. In 1972, he was moved to Angola Prison, where he allied with the Black Panthers and was put into solitary confinement. He spent 29 years in solitary confinement before his conviction was overturned on appeal in 2001, and he was released after accepting a plea deal.

Woodfox was convicted of armed robbery and sentenced to 50 years in prison. He escaped from the Orleans Parish courthouse during his sentencing and fled to Harlem, New York City, where he was captured and met members of the Black Panther Party. Upon his return to Louisiana, he was incarcerated at Angola Prison. He co-founded the Angola chapter of the Black Panther Party with King and Wallace, and they worked to improve conditions at the prison, organising education for prisoners and leading petitions and hunger strikes to protest segregation, rape, and violence. In 1972, Woodfox and Wallace were indicted and convicted of the murder of a prison guard, Brent Miller, and were placed in solitary confinement. Woodfox's conviction was overturned twice, in 1993 and 2014, but he was indicted and convicted again. Finally, in 2015, a federal judge ordered his immediate release and barred a retrial. Woodfox was released in February 2016 after accepting a plea deal. He died from COVID-19 complications in 2022.

Wallace was convicted of bank robbery and sentenced to Angola Prison in 1971. He, too, became a member of the Black Panther Party and worked with Woodfox to improve prison conditions. He was indicted and convicted alongside Woodfox for the murder of Brent Miller and was placed in solitary confinement. Wallace's conviction was finally overturned in 2013 due to the unconstitutional exclusion of women from his jury. He was released in October 2013 but died three days later from liver cancer.

King, Woodfox, and Wallace spent a combined total of 114 years in solitary confinement. They were targeted for their activism as members of the Black Panther Party and endured inhumane conditions. Their cases brought attention to the injustices within the US legal system, and they continue to stand up to injustice and call for an end to solitary confinement and the release of other political prisoners.

They were imprisoned at Louisiana State Penitentiary, also known as Angola Prison

The Angola Three were imprisoned at Louisiana State Penitentiary, also known as Angola Prison. Located in West Feliciana Parish, Louisiana, the prison is situated between oxbow lakes on the east side of a bend in the Mississippi River. It is the largest maximum-security prison in the United States, with 6,300 inmates and 1,800 staff. The prison sits on 28 square miles of land that once belonged to the Angola Plantations, a slave plantation named after the country of Angola, from which many enslaved people originated before arriving in Louisiana.

The Angola Three—Robert Hillary King, Albert Woodfox, and Herman Wallace—were three African American inmates held for decades in solitary confinement at Angola Prison. They were targeted for their activism as members of the Black Panther Party in the 1970s. Woodfox and Wallace were indicted in April 1972 for the killing of a prison corrections officer and convicted in January 1974. They served more than 40 years each in solitary confinement, the longest period of solitary confinement in American prison history. King was convicted of a separate prison murder in 1973 and spent 29 years in solitary confinement before his conviction was overturned on appeal.

The Angola Three were among activists seeking to improve conditions at Angola Prison, which was known for its cruelty and violence. They helped organize education for other prisoners, as well as petitions and hunger strikes to protest segregation, rape, and violence within the prison. As a result, they were targeted by the prison administration. Woodfox and Wallace were each sent to Angola Prison in 1971: Wallace for bank robbery and Woodfox for armed robbery. The day after a prison guard was burned to death in 1972, 23-year-old prison guard Brent Miller was found dead of multiple stab wounds, and Woodfox and Wallace were convicted of his murder.

In July 2013, Amnesty International called for the release of 71-year-old Herman Wallace, who had been diagnosed with terminal liver cancer. He was released on October 1, 2013, after a judge overturned his original indictment due to the lack of female jurors. Wallace died on October 4, 2013, before the state could re-indict him. Woodfox was released on February 19, 2016, after the prosecution agreed to drop its push for a retrial. He died on August 4, 2022, from COVID-19 complications. King was released in 2001, the first of the Angola Three to gain freedom.

They were targeted for their activism as members of the Black Panther Party

The Angola 3—Albert Woodfox, Robert King, and Herman Wallace—were targeted for their activism as members of the Black Panther Party. In the 1970s, they exposed the segregation and violence in Angola Prison in Louisiana, USA. They were among activists seeking to improve conditions at the notoriously cruel and violent prison. They helped organize the education of other prisoners and petitions and hunger strikes to protest segregation within the prison and to end widespread rape and violence.

Woodfox and Wallace formed the first official incarcerated chapter of the Black Panther Party (BPP) in the Louisiana State Penitentiary in 1971. They advocated for universal healthcare, education, and an end to police brutality—priorities of the Black Panther Party. They recognized the importance of food to mobilize others and compel prison officials to meet their demands. They participated in hunger strikes, resource pooling, and sabotage of food production to build solidarity among prisoners.

The Angola 3 were targeted by the prison administration, who feared the politically active prisoners. Prison officials began punishing inmates they saw as troublemakers. At the height of this institutional chaos, Woodfox, Wallace, and King were charged with murders they did not commit and thrown into solitary cells, where they remained for decades.

The political identity of the Angola 3 influenced their treatment. Prison officials associated prisoner militancy with violence against correctional officers and planned prisoner disruption of prison order. Former Warden Burl Cain admitted that Woodfox's involvement with the Black Panther Party was the reason for sending him to solitary confinement for over forty years. Cain stated in 2008:

> "I still know that he is still trying to practice Black Pantherism, and I still would not want him walking around my prison, because he would organize the young new inmates. I would have me all kinds of problems, more than I could stand."

Even after more than forty years of solitary confinement, Woodfox never renounced his political ties to the Black Panther Party.

They were released in 2001, 2013, and 2016, respectively

The Angola 3 refers to three African-American former inmates: Robert Hillary King, Albert Woodfox, and Herman Wallace. They were held in solitary confinement for decades at the Louisiana State Penitentiary, also known as Angola Prison.

The three men were released from prison in 2001, 2013, and 2016, respectively. Here is a more detailed breakdown of their releases:

Robert Hillary King: Released in 2001

Robert King was convicted of a separate prison murder in 1973 and spent 29 years in solitary confinement. In 2001, his conviction was overturned on appeal. The court ordered a new trial, and the prosecutor offered him a plea deal, which he accepted to gain release. King was the first of the Angola 3 to be freed.

Herman Wallace: Released in 2013

Herman Wallace was one of the latter two Angola 3 members indicted in April 1972 for the killing of a prison corrections officer. He was convicted in January 1974 and served more than 40 years in solitary confinement. In July 2013, Amnesty International called for his release as he had been diagnosed with terminal liver cancer. On October 1, 2013, a judge overturned his original indictment due to the lack of female jurors, and Wallace was released. Unfortunately, he passed away on October 4, 2013, three days after his release.

Albert Woodfox: Released in 2016

Albert Woodfox, the last of the Angola 3 to be released, was also indicted for the 1972 killing of the prison guard and convicted in 1974. His conviction was overturned multiple times due to racial discrimination, prosecutorial misconduct, and other issues. On June 10, 2015, his unconditional release was decided, but he was not released until February 19, 2016, after accepting a plea deal for lesser charges. Woodfox was imprisoned for a total of 45 years, 43 of them in solitary confinement.

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