Death of 'Angola 3' man Herman Wallace - reaction

‘The Louisiana prison authorities put this man through hell’ - Tessa Murphy

Responding to news of the death today of Herman Wallace, the 71-year-old “Angola 3” prisoner who has died just days after his murder conviction was overturned and he was released from prison, Amnesty International’s USA campaigner Tessa Murphy said:

“This is very sad news and Amnesty sends its condolences to Herman Wallace’s family and friends.

“The Louisiana prison authorities put this man through hell - no-one should have to endure 40-plus years in solitary confinement.

“There were longstanding concerns about the safety of his conviction and it’s some small consolation that Herman died a free man after the conviction was finally overturned.

“We now need to focus on the fact that after all this time Albert Woodfox is still being held in solitary confinement. This must end immediately.”

Herman Wallace was one of the so-called “Angola 3”, whose other members are Robert King and Albert Woodfox. Robert King was released in 2001 after 29 years of solitary confinement, while Albert Woodfox remains in solitary confinement.

Wallace and Woodfox - who were convicted of the murder in 1972 of the prison guard Brent Miller - always maintained their innocence, claiming they were falsely implicated for their political activism in prison as members of the Black Panther Party.