LDF Files Reply Brief for Bobby Seale on Eve of Argument of Contempt Conviction Appeal
Press Release
February 2, 1972

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Press Releases, Volume 6. LDF Files Reply Brief for Bobby Seale on Eve of Argument of Contempt Conviction Appeal, 1972. fd1f3bbf-ba92-ee11-be37-00224827e97b. LDF Archives, Thurgood Marshall Institute. https://ldfrecollection.org/archives/archives-search/archives-item/3910fe29-eabb-40d3-8131-720c53810aa8/ldf-files-reply-brief-for-bobby-seale-on-eve-of-argument-of-contempt-conviction-appeal. Accessed April 19, 2025.
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efense lund FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FEBRUARY 2, 1972 LDF FILES REPLY BRIEF FOR BOBBY SEALE ON EVE OF ARGUMENT OF CONTEMPT CONVICTION APPEAL NEW YORK, N.Y. --- On February 2, a reply brief was filed on behalf of Black Panther leader Bobby G. Seale by attorneys for the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF) and Black Panther attorney, Charles Garry The original brief in this case was filed June 1969. The Legal Defense Fund first announced its in- volvement in the case February 18, 1970 after Charles Garry requested LDF's assistance. Oral argument on behalf of Seale will be presented February 9, in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit, by Charles Garry and Anthony G. Amsterdam. At issue is the four-year contempt sentence imposed on Seale by U.S. District Judge Julius Hoffman during the course of proceedings in the Chicago conspiracy trial. The purpose of the reply brief is to answer the government's brief; and to deal with a number of recent Supreme Court decisions that LDF and Garry contend, requires that Seale's conviction be re- versed and that charges be dismissed. Virtually all of Seale's contempt convictions arose, as his reply brief indicates, out of, "the trial court's wrongful denial of Seale's right to counsel of choice and to self-representation after Seale discovered that his own lawyer, Charles Garry, could not be present to represent him. Legal Defense Fund attorneys contend that Seale, “was in the end punished with contempt for his attempts to explain in the court that he had never authorized anyone but Garry (more) NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund, Inc. | 10 Columbus Circle | New York, N.Y. 10019 | (212) 586-8397 William T. Coleman, Jr. - President Jack Greenberg - Director-Counsel BOBBY SEALE REPLY BRIEF PAGE 2 to act as his lawyer; and in the absence of Garry, he wanted to represent himself," Seale's lawyers argue that on this record his conduct cannot legitimately be considered contemptuous. Seale also argues that his conviction, without benefit of notice, hearing, representation by counsel or jury trial, violated fundamental procedural safeguards. The Fund will raise the following constitutional arguments: I. The personal confrontation between Seale and Judge Hoffman left the judge with potential for bias. II. Seale was denied jury trial. III. Seale was denied the right to due process hearing. =30= For further information contact: Attorney Elizabeth B. DuBois or Abeke Foster, Public Information (212) 586-8397 NOTE: Please bear in mind that the LDF is a completely separate and distinct organization even though we were established by the NAACP and those initials are retained in our name. Our correct designation is NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc., frequently shortened to LDF.