Herman Wallace of Angola 3 Diagnosed with Liver Cancer, Send Messages of Support

Albert Woodfox and Herman Wallace (right) have spent 41 years in solitary confinement.

Albert Woodfox and Herman Wallace (right) have spent 41 years in solitary confinement.

After 41 years in solitary confinement, Albert Woodfox and Herman Wallace of the Angola 3 have lived through a nightmare that no human being should have to endure. We work on their case with the hope that, one day, we can share the news that these men have been released from solitary and have seen justice.

But today is not that day. Today I am deeply saddened to tell you that 71-year-old Herman Wallace has been diagnosed with liver cancer, after spending the majority of his life isolated in a small cell, four steps long, by three steps across for 23 hours a day. I’ve often described the Angola 3 case as “injustice compounded” – that description has never rung more true than today.

Albert and Herman were convicted of murdering a prison guard at Louisiana’s Angola prison more than four decades ago. The two men were placed in solitary confinement and kept there, even as significant flaws in their trial rose to the surface from the dark, racially charged underbelly of the US prison system: potentially exculpatory evidence mysteriously “missing,” the retraction of eyewitness testimony and even compelling proof that the state bribed a key eyewitness.

On February 26, 2013, a federal district court ruled to put an end to this shameful legacy of injustice, overturning the conviction of Albert Woodfox for the third time. Louisiana’s attorney general appealed the ruling, however, so Albert’s case is still pending in the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. Herman’s case is also under Federal Court scrutiny on the basis of prosecutorial conduct and constitutional violations – but as the wheels of justice grind slowly, Herman’s time is running out.

Herman’s condition is grave and we are still waiting for details of his prognosis. Once we know more, we will ask you to make your voices heard to the Louisiana authorities so that our calls for justice ring from the state’s northern border to the very end of the Mississippi river.

But until then, please join me in reminding Herman and Albert that they are not alone – that there are hundreds of thousands of people standing with them, even as the state tries to keep them in total isolation.

You can download cards to send to Herman and Albert here. You should add a personal message and, if possible, also send pictures of your hometown, nature or animals to lift the two men’s spirits. Albert and Herman are held in two different prisons, so please be sure to write to both of them separately – Albert is struggling with the news of his friend’s illness, so he needs your words of support just as much as Herman.

Once you’ve written your message, take a picture of yourself with your card and join our solidarity tumblr. Help us show the Louisiana authorities that Amnesty International supporters around the world will continue to shine a light of hope, even when faced with the bleakest injustice.

Address your cards to:

Herman Wallace
#76759 SNU/CCR
EHCC PO Box 174
St Gabriel, LA 70776
USA

Albert Woodfox
#72148
David Wade Correctional Center, N1A3
670 Bell Hill Rd.
Homer, LA 71040

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2 thoughts on “Herman Wallace of Angola 3 Diagnosed with Liver Cancer, Send Messages of Support

  1. My heart goes out to these individuals! I wish you all the best! Continue to stay strong Mr. Wallace and Mr. Woodfox! Hopefully, after all these years in solidarity confinement and inhumane justice you will have justice and live your remaining days out of prisons gates from hell. I am sorry that both of you were not given a fair trail. That both of you were falsely accused of crime that you did not commit! I believe everybody should have second chance in life. (with in reason lol). That is so messed up that did not provide accurate DNA testing. You guys deserve a fair trail. That is your American right! The hatred in this country is gone over the edge. It seems like we are going 2 steps forward and zillion steps backwards. It sad that were in 2013 and we are still facing hatred! I hope you will be free from jail and live out the remaining of your life and get freed from behind prisons bars. Granted if you did do a crime that landed you behind prisons bars than granted you did your time! I agree both you guys should be out! I am sorry that this happen to you! The justice system is not fair. If a white person would have committed the same crime that laws pertaining to that person would have been different, or if you knew somebody within the system, or if you had money! BWT if you guys would have been white then you would have been long time ago! I know that! Race had much to do with this! It irritates me how unjustly people are treated in this country! It is really sad how things have not changed. If it was up to me the both of you would have been free! It very hard to respect the law when rules applied differently depending on the person. What happen to getting DNA testing? there attitude is all black people look the same and they are the ones committing the crime! I bet it was white person who committed the crime and that you got set up! I have that feeling. It is sad how small minded people really are! I wish their was a way for your records to get es-ponged for being falsely accused of the heinous crime. My heart tells me that you did not killed that prison guard. Just because a person is black dose not mean they commit a crime! God hatred is one of the cruel acts of evil! Hatred is one of the major diseases in the world! I was raised to judge people for who they are not what they are? I judge people by their character! Without proper investigation how can they automatically say your guilty? In America it more like you are proven guilty before you prove innocent in the court of law. Law is supposed to protect the innocent! But it dose not!

  2. Horrible story! I think people such as him are amazing and I am always surprised by them. Personally, I don't think I could have gone though anything like this. I don't have that kind of strength.

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