LDF to Defend Bobby Seale

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Collection
- Press Releases
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- LDF
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- 4f3af3fd-b992-ee11-be37-00224827e97b

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Press Releases, Volume 6. LDF to Defend Bobby Seale, 1970. 4f3af3fd-b992-ee11-be37-00224827e97b. LDF Archives, Thurgood Marshall Institute. https://ldfrecollection.org/archives/archives-search/archives-item/64be91ee-9f12-44e9-989c-4d4b1e7e101a/ldf-to-defend-bobby-seale. Accessed August 04, 2025.

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    96 
President 

Hon. Francis E. 

PRESS RELEASE Director Coinsel 
egal ‘efense lund Jack Greenberg 

NAACP LEGAL DEFENSE AND EDUCATIONAL FUND, INC. Piraciens PSDs Relations 
10 Columbus Circle, New York, N.Y. 10019 * JUdson 6-8397 

es 

Jesse DeVore, Jr. 
NIGHT NUMBER 212-749-8487 

February 18, 1970 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

LDF TO DEFEND BOBBY SEALE 

Jack Greenberg, Director-Counsel of the NAKCP Legal Defense 

and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF), announced today that the Fund 

will represent Black Panther leader Bobby G. Seale in the appeal of 

the four year contempt sentence imposed on him by U.S. District Judge 
Julius Hoffman. "The Legal Defense Fund is entering the case at 
the request of Black Panther attorney Charles Garry, and will handle 

Seale's case in collaboration with Mr. Garry's office." (some of 
the points that will be raised on behalf of Mr. Seale are also 

applicable to the case of the lawyers and defendants who were 
recently held in contempt by Judge Hoffman.) The Fund is representire 

Mr. Seale for the same reason that it joined with a score of 
national organizations and leaders in a committee headed by 

Rov Wilkins and Arthur Goldberg to investigate the treatment of 

Black Panthers at the hands of the police and prosecutors. Mr. 

Greenberg stated that "it is important that the Panthers and their 

leaders be accorded the fullest protection of the Constitution ‘at 
a time when too many public officials are striving for shortcuts in 
law enforcement and the suppression of militant dissent. Because 
of the particular regard in which Panthers are held by many 

members of the black community, their treatment by the law teaches 

more than a volume of preaching on constitutional protection." 

The appeal is being directed by Michael Meltsner, First Assistant 

Counsel of the Fund, who will be assisted by staff counsel 

Conrad K. Harper, Elizabeth B. DuBois and Eric Schnapper. 

In the case of Mr. Seale, the Fund will raise the following 

constitutional arguments: 

I. Seale's conviction violated his right to jury trial. 

II. Seale's conviction violated his right to counsel. 

III. Seale's conviction violated Due Process because his 
case was tried by a judge who hud shown dislike for 

appellant and his .co-denfendants. 

Iv. Seale's conviction violated Due Process because he was 

not afforded a full hearing. 

Other issues will be presented’as. well. 

In the case of the lawyers, Mr. Greenberg stated, there is 

the additional factor that "the staggering sentences, up to four 

years, may inhibit others when called upon to represent politically 

unpopular clients. Even if there is disruption at a trial, it may 

be the price we have to pay to assure lawyers that they need have 

no fear in doing what, in their judgment, is best for their 

clients. The judge and jury can be counted on to discount personal 

conduct of counsel, ascertain the truth and apply the law." 

maG= 

NOTE: Please bear in mind that the LDF is a completely sepa 

distinct organization even though we were established by § 

P and those initials are retained in our name. Our corr 

gnation is NAACP Legal Defe ional Fund, In 

ently shortened to LDF.

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LDF to Defend Bobby Seale

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