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July 9, 2009

Charges Dropped Against 4 Members of “San Francisco 8”
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And in San Francisco, prosecutors have dropped charges against four of
the eight former Black Panthers recently charged for the 1971 killing of
a police officer. The group is known as the San Francisco Eight. They
were arrested in 2007, except for two who were already in jail serving
lengthy sentences. One of the eight, Harold Taylor and two others were
first charged with the murder in 1975 but a judge tossed out the
charges. The three said they made false confessions after police in New
Orleans tortured them. This week, prosecutors dropped charges against
Taylor as well as Ray Boudreaux, Henry Jones, and Richard Brown. The two
San Francisco Eight members already in jail—Anthony Bottom and Herman
Bell—have meanwhile pleaded guilty to reduced charges. The lone
remaining defendant, Francisco Torres, is scheduled to appear in court
next month.



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