Keith W. Jenkins

Martin Luther King Jr. last speech before he was assassinated on the next day. #MLKDay2025

On this day in 1972, Angela Davis was acquitted of charges stemming from a 1970 courtroom shootout. Angela Davis, an iconic figure in the Civil Rights Movement and a prominent political activist, faced trial in 1972 on charges related to a courtroom shootout in Marin County, California. Angela Davis, a scholar and member of the Communist Party USA, was a prominent advocate for prisoners' rights and an outspoken critic of racial injustice. In 1970, firearms registered to Davis were used in an armed takeover of a courtroom in Marin County, California, in an attempt to free the Soledad Brothers (3 black inmates charged with the murder of a prison guard). The incident resulted in the deaths of four individuals, including a judge. Angela Davis was charged with aggravated kidnapping and first-degree murder in connection with the courtroom incident. Her arrest and subsequent trial drew international attention, sparking a global "Free Angela Davis" campaign. The trial commenced in March 1972. Davis was defended by a team of notable lawyers, including Howard Moore Jr., Leo Branton Jr. and Doris Brin Walker. The prosecution argued that Davis was complicit in the planning of the escape attempt, while the defense contended that she was being persecuted for her political beliefs and activism. Her trial highlighted issues of racial inequality, the justice system's treatment of African-Americans, and political repression. Angela Davis was acquitted of all charges on June 4, 1972, after a 13-week trial. The jury concluded that she had not been involved in the planning of the kidnapping and murders.