Greenberg's Policy Statement
Press Release
November 30, 1965
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Press Releases, Volume 3. Greenberg's Policy Statement, 1965. 4a7d4b7d-b692-ee11-be37-00224827e97b. LDF Archives, Thurgood Marshall Institute. https://ldfrecollection.org/archives/archives-search/archives-item/76af4e40-e91a-43a5-b6e5-2769aecac15c/greenbergs-policy-statement. Accessed November 23, 2025.
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Statement by Jack Greenberg, director-counsel
NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc,
November 30, 1965
POLICY STATEMENT
The Legal Defense and Educational Fund has filed this
case to require the State of Califo to assign adequate legal
representation to the thousands of persons arrested during the
Watts. rioting. There is no doubt that an indeterminate number
Of Watts defendants are innocent of charges placed against them,
and will net receive the kind of representation which the United
sStates Constitution guarantees to all defendants, rich or poor, Necro
of white, Minnocent or guilty.
BeGause the Watts tragedy arose out of an inextricable
combination of racial discrimination and poverty and neglect by
the ‘community at large, this case is important for it seeks to
require California to stop turning its back on those residents of
Watts now in the toils of the law.
The suit calls upon the State to assure adequate
representation prior to trial instead of--as is usual--asking
was not effective.