| Description | Interviews with John Cluchette, Fleeta Drumgo and George Jackson while they were being held in San Quentin prison, California. The interviews were conducted by David Stevens of KPFK radio, Los Angeles.
Track 1: Introduction by Bill Northwood of KPFK radio, giving details of the indictment and forthcoming trial of the Soledad brothers 1.07 mins
Tracks 2-9: Interview with John Cluchette. He talks about his experiences growing up in the 'ghettos' of Los Angeles, getting involved in gang activities when a teenager, and being jailed for the offence of receiving stolen goods in 1966 and being sent to Soledad Correctional Facility. He goes on to talk about his experiences in Soledad and the conditions there, particularly concerning the adulteration of food, racism and hostility towards black prisoners, and his interest in sculpture. He gives his opinions about the prison system and the concept of justice and rehabilitation, and reflects on the reasons given by the parole board for his continued imprisonment. He talks about his treatment by prison officers in Soledad and the deaths of black prisoners there, and describes his experiences in a strip cell. He goes on to discuss the events of 13th January 1970 when three black prisoners were shot by a prison officer, and considers the radical effects that being imprisoned have had on him.
Tracks 10-16: Interview with Fleeta Drumgo. He talks about coming into contact with law enforcement agents from an early age, the aggressive attitudes of prison officials, his attempts to get an education and being rejected because of his record, being denied parole, and being sentenced. He discusses harsh attitudes of the judicial system towards people from his ethnic and social background and his view of the function of the prison system, and especially Soledad. He thinks that Soledad is a barbaric place because of the control tactics used by the prison guards and their exploitation of racial tensions amongst the prisoners to cause friction. He goes on to discuss the events of 13th January 1970 when three black prisoners were shot by a prison officer, and gives his opinion about solutions to the current situation.
Tracks 17-22: Interview with George Jackson. He talks about the events surrounding his initial involvement with the court system as a teenager and his imprisonment in Soledad, and the development of his political consciousness in prison on being exposed to the racist treatment of black prisoners there. He discusses his feelings about his brother, Jonathan, and how he accepted the possibility of his death through their political activism, and the events surrounding Jonathan's death
Total: 1.02.41 mins
Dubber's reference number: PLA KF571E0013080 |