Albert Woodfox, Former Black Panther Who Spent Decades In Solitary Confinement, Passed Away At 75

Photo by Bryan Tarnowski

Former Black Panther Albert Woodfox passed away at age 75 from complications related to COVID-19. He survived 43 years in solitary confinement, believed to be the longest such punishment for any prisoner in U.S. history.

Woodfox along with Robert King and Herman Wallace made up the Angola Three. They were put in solitary confinement while imprisoned at Louisiana State Penitentiary (also known as Angola Prison). Woodfox and Wallace were indicted in April 1972 for the killing of a prison corrections officer; they were convicted in January 1974.

On November 20, 2014, Woodfox’s conviction was overturned by the US Court of Appeals. In April 2015, his lawyer applied for an unconditional writ for his release. His unconditional release was decided on June 10, 2015. He was released on February 19, 2016, after the prosecution agreed to drop its push for a retrial and accept his plea of no contest to lesser charges of burglary and manslaughter. He said he would have liked the chance to prove his innocence, but chose the plea deal because of advanced age and health issues.