‘The Law .. Gives Him the Right to be Paroled Today’: Former Black Panther Freed After 49 Years by New Jersey Supreme Court In Controversial Split Decision [Freed on parole after being convicted of murdering a police officer]

yahoo.com ^ | May 16, 2022 | Nicole Duncan-Smith

[grundle]

A former Black Panther and Black Liberation Army member, who shot and killed a New Jersey state trooper, has been ordered free by the state’s highest court. Forty-nine years later, a recent decision will now afford him an opportunity to spend the last years of his life with his family.

On Tuesday, May 10, the New Jersey Supreme Court overturned a parole board ruling and granted parole to Sundiata Acoli in the shooting death of a trooper, Werner Foerster, on May 2, 1973.

The ruling obtained by Atlanta Black Star showed despite the win, it was not a clear decision. The Supreme Court was split down party lines, 3-2.

Justice Barry Albin wrote for the majority, expressing, “Our order releasing Acoli on parole does not absolve him of the senseless crimes he committed almost fifty years ago.”

“He is not released out of sympathy or compassion. He must be released because the statutory standards for granting parole have been met.”

Courthouse News reported that over the last 30 years, the 85-year-old has been eligible for parole as per his sentencing and denied each time.

While New Jersey law currently says anyone who intentionally has killed a member of law enforcement receives a life sentence without parole, that was not the law when he was convicted. That particular law was passed in 1996.

Albin, knowing the amount of pushback the decision will receive by those believing the new law should be honored, said, “However much we may abhor the terrible crimes that Acoli committed, he was sentenced and punished according to the law in effect at the time of his offenses — and he is protected by that same law, the law that we are duty-bound to uphold, the law that gives him the right to be paroled today.”

[BenLurkin]

More evidence of the need for application of the death penalty in such cases.

[tomkat]

.. an opportunity to spend the last years of his life with his family.

Unlike the cop's family.

[Carriage Hill]

SPJNK¹⁰⁰

[Wilhelm Tell]

He’ll get rich, speaking at college campuses to cheering crowds, preaching terrorism and “revolution.”

[sunny bonobo]

This is crazy. Is there a law that says if a convict meets the statuatory standards, that he must be released?

[Revel]

He should have been fired years ago.

[kvanbrunt2]

I remember this guy. What a shame.

[roving]

First I ever heard of a court getting involved in a parole hearing

[Rebelbase]

I wonder if he was at the same Panther party that Forest ruined?

[joma89]

All democrats are the enemy, folks. They always use government to support criminals and hurt the law abiding.

[muir_redwoods]

I thought parole was discretionary

[Does so]

It’s parole...

Don’t do that again...

[Gay State Conservative]

Little kids are being killed in the crossfire between rival gangbangers.It would break my heart if the same were to happen to this filthy punk.

[zeugma]

While New Jersey law currently says anyone who intentionally has killed a member of law enforcement receives a life sentence without parole, that was not the law when he was convicted. That particular law was passed in 1996.

Because the lives of the enforcers of the police state are much more important than the rest of us.

[bert]

Now that he is out of prison, he can be executed