UPDATE – Herman Wallace died, shortly after this article was published, on 4 October 2013. He was 71 years old. Surrounded by friends and family, his last words were “I am free, I am free”.
[ORIGINAL ARTICLE 4.10.2013] Herman Wallace, one of the Angola 3 held in solitary confinement for 40 years following a corrupt, racist trial, and who is in the late stages of liver cancer, has been freed. To the surprise of both his defence campaign and the US ‘justice’ system, a judge ordered his release after finding that the exclusion of women from his original jury breached his constitutional rights.
Vitally, and unlike previous court victories that have seen Wallace remain in prison, the judge ordered that he be immediately released. Louisiana state officials tried throughout Tuesday, 1 October to avoid releasing him until they were threatened with contempt of court charges for their refusal to follow the judge’s orders. Only when the judge repeated his instruction and refused to leave his quarters was Wallace freed.
Wallace has been freed to Louisiana State University Hospital, where he remains gravely ill. All involved with his campaign have greeted his release with joy, but it is of course a bittersweet moment. The state will almost certainly appeal against his release, and even attempt to re-indict him over the 1973 death of a prison guard – despite the lack of evidence that Wallace was involved and the 40 years he has served. It is, however, likely that due to the advanced nature of his cancer that Wallace will die a free man, before the state can reach him.
