36 years in solitary ends for 2 inmates
BATON ROUGE, LA. — Two former Black Panthers held in solitary confinement in a Louisiana prison since 1972 have been transferred into quarters with other inmates, state corrections officials said Wednesday.
Herman Wallace and Albert Woodfox were moved into a “maximum security dormitory” on Monday, said Angie Norwood, assistant warden at the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola. Wallace and Woodfox had been in solitary since their convictions in the death of a guard.
The men have said their 36 years of solitary confinement at the prison amount to cruel and unusual punishment.
Both are appealing their convictions.
Rep. John Conyers Jr., a Michigan Democrat and chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, visited the men recently and said he had learned of evidence proving they were wrongly convicted.
Sign up for Essential California
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
