Elmer G. "Geronimo" Pratt was the former leader of the Los Angeles chapter of the Black Panther Party. He spent 27 years in prison after being convicted of murder in 1972, a crime he maintained he did not commit. In 1999, his conviction was overturned and he was released from prison.
In the early 1960s, Pratt volunteered to join the Army and served with the 82nd Airborne in Vietnam, where he was awarded two Bronze Stars, a Silver Star and two Purple Hearts. After he was discharged, Pratt moved to Los Angeles in 1968 and enrolled at the University of California, Los Angeles. While attending classes, he met Alprentice "Bunchy" Carter, a Louisiana native and an early member of the Black Panther Party who recruited him to the cause and gave him the "Geronimo" nickname.
∼Geronimo Pratt, the former Black Panther member who spent 27 years in prison before his murder conviction was lifted, has died at his home in Tanzania. He was 63.
After serving in Vietnam, Geronimo Pratt joined the Los Angeles branch of the Black Panthers and quickly became their Minister for Defence. This naturally attracted the FBI's attention and he was targeted by the COINTELPRO program. His pregnant wife was murdered, allegedly as a result of an internal Black Panther conflict, and in 1972 he was falsely convicted for a 1968 murder.
Geronimo Pratt spent 27 years in prison, eight of them in solitary confinement. Eventually it was demonstrated that he had been unjustly convicted, and that J. Edgar Hoover's COINTELPRO program had selected him as one of its targets. Awarded a $4m settlement for false imprisonment, he went to live in Tanzania.
He was also the godfather of Tupac Shakur, and in this interview from a few years back he discusses not only Tupac's life but also his own treatment at the hands of the US government.
In the early 1960s, Pratt volunteered to join the Army and served with the 82nd Airborne in Vietnam, where he was awarded two Bronze Stars, a Silver Star and two Purple Hearts. After he was discharged, Pratt moved to Los Angeles in 1968 and enrolled at the University of California, Los Angeles. While attending classes, he met Alprentice "Bunchy" Carter, a Louisiana native and an early member of the Black Panther Party who recruited him to the cause and gave him the "Geronimo" nickname.
∼Geronimo Pratt, the former Black Panther member who spent 27 years in prison before his murder conviction was lifted, has died at his home in Tanzania. He was 63.
After serving in Vietnam, Geronimo Pratt joined the Los Angeles branch of the Black Panthers and quickly became their Minister for Defence. This naturally attracted the FBI's attention and he was targeted by the COINTELPRO program. His pregnant wife was murdered, allegedly as a result of an internal Black Panther conflict, and in 1972 he was falsely convicted for a 1968 murder.
Geronimo Pratt spent 27 years in prison, eight of them in solitary confinement. Eventually it was demonstrated that he had been unjustly convicted, and that J. Edgar Hoover's COINTELPRO program had selected him as one of its targets. Awarded a $4m settlement for false imprisonment, he went to live in Tanzania.
He was also the godfather of Tupac Shakur, and in this interview from a few years back he discusses not only Tupac's life but also his own treatment at the hands of the US government.
Elmer G. "Geronimo" Pratt was the former leader of the Los Angeles chapter of the Black Panther Party. He spent 27 years in prison after being convicted of murder in 1972, a crime he maintained he did not commit. In 1999, his conviction was overturned and he was released from prison.
In the early 1960s, Pratt volunteered to join the Army and served with the 82nd Airborne in Vietnam, where he was awarded two Bronze Stars, a Silver Star and two Purple Hearts. After he was discharged, Pratt moved to Los Angeles in 1968 and enrolled at the University of California, Los Angeles. While attending classes, he met Alprentice "Bunchy" Carter, a Louisiana native and an early member of the Black Panther Party who recruited him to the cause and gave him the "Geronimo" nickname.
∼Geronimo Pratt, the former Black Panther member who spent 27 years in prison before his murder conviction was lifted, has died at his home in Tanzania. He was 63.
After serving in Vietnam, Geronimo Pratt joined the Los Angeles branch of the Black Panthers and quickly became their Minister for Defence. This naturally attracted the FBI's attention and he was targeted by the COINTELPRO program. His pregnant wife was murdered, allegedly as a result of an internal Black Panther conflict, and in 1972 he was falsely convicted for a 1968 murder.
Geronimo Pratt spent 27 years in prison, eight of them in solitary confinement. Eventually it was demonstrated that he had been unjustly convicted, and that J. Edgar Hoover's COINTELPRO program had selected him as one of its targets. Awarded a $4m settlement for false imprisonment, he went to live in Tanzania.
He was also the godfather of Tupac Shakur, and in this interview from a few years back he discusses not only Tupac's life but also his own treatment at the hands of the US government.
In the early 1960s, Pratt volunteered to join the Army and served with the 82nd Airborne in Vietnam, where he was awarded two Bronze Stars, a Silver Star and two Purple Hearts. After he was discharged, Pratt moved to Los Angeles in 1968 and enrolled at the University of California, Los Angeles. While attending classes, he met Alprentice "Bunchy" Carter, a Louisiana native and an early member of the Black Panther Party who recruited him to the cause and gave him the "Geronimo" nickname.
∼Geronimo Pratt, the former Black Panther member who spent 27 years in prison before his murder conviction was lifted, has died at his home in Tanzania. He was 63.
After serving in Vietnam, Geronimo Pratt joined the Los Angeles branch of the Black Panthers and quickly became their Minister for Defence. This naturally attracted the FBI's attention and he was targeted by the COINTELPRO program. His pregnant wife was murdered, allegedly as a result of an internal Black Panther conflict, and in 1972 he was falsely convicted for a 1968 murder.
Geronimo Pratt spent 27 years in prison, eight of them in solitary confinement. Eventually it was demonstrated that he had been unjustly convicted, and that J. Edgar Hoover's COINTELPRO program had selected him as one of its targets. Awarded a $4m settlement for false imprisonment, he went to live in Tanzania.
He was also the godfather of Tupac Shakur, and in this interview from a few years back he discusses not only Tupac's life but also his own treatment at the hands of the US government.
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