The order by the New Jersey Supreme Court to parole Sundiata Acoli, convicted in the 1973 shooting death of State Trooper Werner Foerster, after nearly 50 years behind bars drew swift rebukes.
Sundiata Acoli, 85, a former member of the Black Panther Party and the Black Liberation Army, was convicted in the 1973 shooting death of New Jersey State Trooper Werner Foerster.
As you mentioned, Acoli was a member of the Black Liberation Army. That group was known in the 1970s for carrying out a series of bombings and bank robberies, and killing a number of police officers.On that day, Acoli was in a car with two other members of the Black Liberation Army, Joanne Chesimard and James Costan. They were on the New Jersey turnpike when they were stopped by Trooper James Harper for a broken tail light. Trooper Werner Foerster arrived as backup.
Now last week's court ruling didn't concern Acoli’s guilt or innocence. The state parole board, once again, had denied parole to Acoli. The state Supreme Court reversed that decision. What did the court say the parole board got wrong? Under current New Jersey law, anyone convicted of killing a police officer is now ineligible for parole.
For someone of Acoli’s age, the estimate was like maybe 4% or less that he might re-offend. So advocates question, why keep these people in prison? New Jersey is now considering a bill that would provide geriatric parole to inmates, age 60 or older, who have served at least part of their sentence. But this, again, would exclude those who've committed the most serious acts.
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