FELICETTA EXHIBIT NO. 17-A RESIST THE GOV'T. support: dr. spock, rap brown, ferber, sostre! Fight Back Aminst Repressions As the U. 3. Government expands its warfare against the peasant querrillas of Indo-China, spreading its murderous bombings to Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Burma, and China, the national liberation movements of the Asian peoples have hit back hard, winning victory after victory. Simultaneous with its war escalation, the U. S. war-makers ve attempted to intimidate the anti-war movement by escalating its regressions against it. The movement aust now take the offensive and fight back against all state originated repressions. Like the Asian people are doing, we must hit back hard and win victory for our movement. Recently, the U. S. Government indicted Dr. Benjamin Spock, pediatridian and world-famous author, Michael Ferber (of Buffalo), graduate student at Harvard University and others of "conspiring to counsel against the draft." This attempt to deprive leaders of the anti-war movement of their constitutional ri hts of protest is actually a move to cover the war crimes of the . S. Government. The Johnson Administration stands condemned before world opinion for its war crimes against the Vietnamese people: ill-treatment or deportation of civilian population, murder or ill treatment of prisoners of war, wanton destruction of cities, toms, and villages -- in violation of the Nuremberg Tribunal. Johnson criminally has Vietnamese babies deformed by napalm, while Spock, baby-doctor hero of thousands of American mothers, seeks to en this mass murder. Black Liberation Fighters Attacked The Afro-American people have long demanded social justice from the white power structure of the U. s. Their appeals have been met with terror, lynch-mobs, police savagery, frame-ups, and sadistic killings. Now their most outspoken leaders have either been killed (Malcolm X, Hedgar Evers) or exiled (Paul Robeson, Robert F. Williams) or framed (Le Roi Jones, Rap Brown, Max Stanford, etc.) In Buffalo, Martin Sostre-owner of the Afro-Asian Bookstore and outspoken anti-war critic and Black liberation fighter was brutally beaten, framed and his store smashed in the summer of 1967. He is still being held a risoner in Erie County Jail. The anti-war movement must support these brave liberation fighters for Black self-determination without reservation! - Escalate Anti-War Agitation, Militant Resistance It is clear that the best way to fight back against repression is for the movement to escalate its activity. We must not only show explicit support to victims of repression, but must continue the mass struggle against the war in the streets. We must continue and increase our efforts to galvinize and mobilize the anti-war sentiments of the people by street demonstrations, anti-war street meetings, and acts of militant resistance at induction centers. protest INDICTMENTS OF SFOCK, RAP BRON, FERBER, SOSTRE AND OTHERS! demand demonstrate: saturday, february 17, IMEDIATE AND UNCONDITIONAL WITHDRA AL CF LL U. S. TROOPS FROM VIETNAM 12 noon 2 p.m. Demonstration begins at Erie County Jail (10 Delaware Avenue) at 12 noon, followed by a march to the Federal Court Building (Niagara Square), and will culminate with a street meeting at Lafayette Square. Sponsors: students for a democratic society, youth against war and fascism, student mobilization, resistance MAD April 15, 1968 R T R 715 Black liberation fighter - - For over eight long months, Martin Sostre courageous was held in Erie County Jail, a victim of Buffalo's racist, white power structure and scapegoat for the '67 Black uprising in Buffalo. On March 5, 1968, Martin Sostre was forced to trial without the benefit of his four witnesses. After 3 days of kangaroo justice, his sham frame-up trial ended and he was convicted. On March 18, he was sentenced to a maximum of 41 years and 30 days at Attica State Prison (30 miles from Buffalo). Within one half hour after his sentencing, he was rushed to Attica Prison, but at 7:30 A. M. the following morning, he was transferred to Green Haven State Prison at Stormville, New York (about 400 miles from Buffalo)! This is an obvious attempt to isolate him from his community, his friends and his supporters! Martin Sostre did not spend his last days in Erie County Jail resigned to the legal lynching prepared by the racist hangmen! Instead he was busy preparing his application for a Certificate of Reasonable Doubt (for appeal bond) which, by the way, the petty officials have to this day almost one month later prevented him from mailing (their excuse being that money and stamps belonging to Martin had not been sent to Green Haven Prison from Attica Prison where Martin had stayed overnight)! - - - - Among Martin's last wishes before he was convicted and sentenced was that in addition to continuing the struggle against racism and militarism, that an Afro-Asian Bookstore-in-Exile be established to carry on the struggle for which he had fought so courageously. An Afro-Asian Bookstore-in-Exile with periodic bookfairs at U. B and other places he felt would serve not only to keep the struggle against frame-ups and kangarooism alive, since once he got sentenced and sent to prison, there would be a tendency for people to forget the case due to lack of publicity in the local press. In addition, it would serve as an outlet for revolutionary, Black liberation literature and anti-fascist literature condemning racism and militarism. Too, he felt it would serve as a fund-raising vehicle to finance the cost of his appeal and the functioning and activities of his Defense Committee. Official notice of appeal has been filed by Martin's appeal attorney, Mr. Clarence M. Maloney, a prominent Black attorney. The Martin Sostre Defense Committee has retained Mr. Maloney, and efforts are now underway to prepare the necessary legal documents for appeal. (cont'd.) FELICETTA EXHIBIT NO. 17-A-Continued Your help is urgently needed. Funds for costly appeal preparation, legal fees, necessary trips back and forth from Buffalo to Green Haven Prison by Mr. Sostre's attorney for necessary consultation in preparing the appeal brief, for subscriptions to local and national newspapers for Martin so that he will not be isolated from world events which are moving at such a rapid pace, for food packages to Martin (he is allowed only one- 15 lb. package each month), for the trial costs for Martin Sostre's co-defendant, Mrs. Geraldine Robinson, whose trial is yet to come (MSDC has retained Mr. Maloney to represent Mrs. Robinson also), etc. etc., etc. HELP THE DEFENSE COMMITTEE IN ITS STRUGGLE TO FREE MARTIN SOSTRE! THE STRUGGLE IS NOT YET OVER; IT HAS REALLY JUST BEGUN, AND WILL CONTINUE UNTIL MARTIN SOSTRE IS FREE! JAILS! DON'T LET MARTIN SOSTRE LANGUISH AND ROT IN RACIST AMERICA'S DON'T LET THE 400 MILES BETWEEN HIM AND US BE AN EXCUSE FOR INACTIVITY AND APATHY! MARTIN SOSTRE'S CONVICTION AND VICIOUS SENTENCE MUST BE PROTESTED! 41 YEARS AND 30 DAYS IS "LIFE" NO MATTER HOW YOU PUT IT!! HELP BY REDEDICATING YOURSELF TO GIVE REVOLUTIONARY AID AND ASSISTANCE TO ALL BLACK LIBERATION LEADERS -- LIKE MARTIN SOSTRE -- WHO ARE FRAMED IN THEIR REBELLION AGAINST OPPRESSION! THE CASE OF MARTIN SOSTRE IS ONE OF A CHAIN OF FRAME-UPS AGAINST MILITANT AND COURAGEOUS BLACK LEADERS THROUGHOUT THIS COUNTRY. EXTEND YOUR HAND IN SOLIDARITY AND SUPPORT ACROSS THE MANY MILES! HELP FREE MARTIN SOSTRE BY SUPPORTING THE ACTIVITIES SPONSORED BY HIS DEFENSE COMMITTEE. GIVE GENEROUSLY TO THE MARTIN SOSTRE DEFENSE FUND! REMEMBER: ANY AMOUNT THAT YOU GIVE IS SMALL IN COMPARISON TO THE PRICE THAT MARTIN HAS ALREADY PAID! that Martin Sostre while an inmate at Attica Prison some years ago was mainly responsible for all the legal work that resulted in the Muslims' right to worship inside the prison walls. that during Martin's recent sham trial, he was ordered physically gagged with a towel by Judge Frederick M. Marshall whom Martin had referred to as a "biased judge." In a recent meeting before the Western New York Section, Society of Colonial Wars and two other ultra-conservative organizations, Marshall stated that he was "sick and tired of the long hairs, beatniks, the ultra-liberals, the unwashed, the exhibitionists." He continued, "And I despise their marching, their singing, their bleating, rabble-rousing, placardcarrying and card burning." (Buffalo Evening News, 4-5-68) It seems very clear to us that these utterances reek of the very bias, hate and contempt for anything progressive that Martin saw so clearly in Marshall. Demonstrations at Erie County jail, 10 Delaware Avenue, Buffalo, New York, February 17, 1968 AFTERNOON SESSION-THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 1968 (The subcommittee reconvened at 2:30 p.m., Hon. John M. Ashbrook presiding.) Mr. ASHBROOK. The subcommittee will come to order to continue with the testimony of Police Commissioner Felicetta of Buffalo. Thank you for returning. Mr. FELICETTA. Thank you. Mr. ASHBROOK. Mr. Counsel, do you have further questions? TESTIMONY OF FRANK N. FELICETTA-Resumed Mr. SMITH. Commissioner Felicetta, at this morning's session you made mention that certain persons were members of SNCC. Does SNCC have a chapter in Buffalo and, if so, do you have any informa tion on it? Mr. FELICETTA. We have some confidential information that George Harris is now chairman of the Buffalo branch of SNCC and that Frederick Hudson, who was referred to in this morning's testimony, will be program chairman of SNCC. During the disturbances in 1967, both of these people were working for VISTA, and then, also during the disturbances, as I testified, Frederick Hudson was arrested and later discharged. Additionally, I have a report here from Floyd J. Edwards, who at the time that this report was written, which is August 1, 1967, was an assistant chief of detectives. Since that time he has been promoted, by virtue of his standing on his civil service list, to the rank of captain. I will read his report: On 7-18-67, I spoke to a group of young Negroes at the JFK Community Center on Clinton St. The main speaker at this meeting was a young Negro, about 25 yrs. named John Wilson, the fund raising chairman (National) for SNCC. He is from Chicago, Illinois. His whole approach was one of hate and to appeal to the worst in the young audience. He impressed upon the kids that the black men in America don't want integration, we want our own, now . . . He insulted all white people in the audience and called Dean Rusk a "Hunkey Fool" Mr. ASHBROOK. A What? Mr. FELICETTA. Hunkey fool. -Robert McNamara, a hunkey warmonger. He appealed to the Negro boys to refuse to serve in the armed services. He told all, that the Negro doesn't need whitey conservatives, or liberals, ours is a black man's problem and the black man should solve it alone, by taking what we want. I also have here a copy of The Spectrum, dated February 20, 1968, which is the newspaper at the State University of New York at Buffalo, which contains the information that was in a leaflet that I presented this morning regarding the protest when Dr. Spock and Michael Ferber were indicted, and also it makes mention of: "In Buffalo, Martin Sostre . . . was brutally beaten, framed and his store smashed. *** The anti-war movement must support these brave liberation fighters for Black self-determination without reservation." Mr. SMITH. Mr. Chairman, I request that these documents be accepted for the record. Mr. ASHBROOK. They will be received for the record. (Documents marked "Felicetta Exhibits Nos. 18 and 19," respectively, and retained in committee files.) Mr. ASHBROOK. Proceed. Mr. SMITH. Mr. Chairman, at this point I would like to read into the record the following information on John Wilson, based on material in the committee's files: John A. Wilson was born on September 29, 1943, in Baltimore, Maryland. He has been active in militant Negro organizations since he was a student at Maryland State College, Princess Anne, Maryland, and served as chairman of the Student Appeal for Equality at that college in 1964. In 1964, John Wilson was one of six individuals who met in Chester, Pennsyl vania, and formed the militant Negro organization called ACT. (This organization, ACT, has been described in part 1, pages 917, 918, of this committee's hearings on this subject.) Wilson has been an active member of SNCC for the past several years and has served that organization as its New York field organizer. He has also been cited as a national spokesman for SNCC. John Wilson was one of a group of Americans who visited with representatives of the National Liberation Front and North Vietnam in Bratislava, Czechoslovakia, last summer. When he returned, Wilson served as cochairman of the National Mobilization Committee To End the War in Vietnam, which organized the march on the Pentagon on October 21-22, 1967. |