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GUEST: Elaine Brown, former chair of the Black Panther Party, Jenn Laskin, both are members of the Committee to Free Romaine “Chip” Fitzgerald

This Wednesday July 2nd, parole hearings will be held in California for the longest held Black Panther Party political prisoner in the United States. Currently detained at Centinela State Prison near the border with Mexico, Romaine “Chip” Fitzgerald has been imprisoned for nearly 40 years. As a member of the Southern California chapter of the Black Panther Party, Fitzgerald was involved in a September 1969 shootout with Los Angeles police. He sustained and survived a gunshot wound to the head only to be arrested later and charged with assault on police and the murder of a security guard. At only 18 years of age, Fitzgerald was convicted. He was given the death penalty which was later commuted to a life sentence in 1972. Ahead of this week’s parole hearings, the Committee to Free Chip Fitzgerald has called on supporters to sign a petition asking for his release. Locally, a community tribute was held this past weekend in Los Angeles that featured former Panthers David Hilliard and Elaine Brown as well as a written statement by congresswoman Maxine Waters.

To sign the petition for Chip Fitzgerrald visit www.freechip.org.