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George Jackson Shot In Back

George Jackson Shot In Back image
Parent Issue
Day
1
Month
October
Year
1971
OCR Text

George Jackson Shot in Back

The official coroner's report on the shooting death of Soledad Brother George Jackson, which was released this week, directly contradicts the account of George's murder as previously reported by prison officials.

Marin County Coroner, Dr. Donovan O. Cooke reported that the fatal bullet struck Jackson in the middle of his back, broke two ribs, traveled up his spine and finally exited through the top of his skull. This account is in direct contradiction to earlier prison reports which said that Jackson was shot from above, and hit In the top of the head, by a guard shooting from a 20-foot high tower.

Mrs. George Jackson charged soon after the shooting that George was murdered by the guards inside who then dragged his body into the courtyard box canyon where, the prison officials said, he was trying to escape.

Also last week, John Thorne, attorney for Brother George, produced a deposition which was sworn to by inmate Allen Mancino. According to the sworn statement, Mancino was asked by prison officials to help kill Jackson in January of 1970. The typed, notarized statement reports that Mancino was taken from his prison cell while blindfolded and met with two prison guards, who asked him because they "did not want another Eldridge Cleaver."

Mancino identified one of the voices as belonging to the captain of the prison guards, Charles Moody. He said he refused to take part in the plot.

Mancino, who was in the adjustment center on the day of the San Quentln killings, was quickly and mysteriously transferred to Nevada State Penitentiary six days after George's murder -- and has been under heavy guard ever since.

Prison leaders have declined to comment on the charges in the deposition made by Mancino as we go to press.