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Veronza Bowers, Jr
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pp, pow, or social prisoner |
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Veronza Bowers, Jr |
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Veronza Bowers, Jr |
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Veronza Bowers, Jr is a political prisoner as identified by Prison Activist Resource Center. He was convicted as part of COINTELPRO, an FBI effort targeting hippies, peace activists and others considered radicals. He has completed the term of his sentence, but has been held past his release date, otherwise known as mandatory parole date, due to the lobbying efforts of the Fraternal Order of Police.
The original conviction was for the murder of a park ranger, no evidence was provided save for the testimony of two government informants, both testifying in order to receive reduced sentences for other crimes, one also getting a sum of 10,000 dollars as is recorded in the prosecutor's post-sentencing report. Veronza had an alibi, and relatives of both informants testified at trial that they had reason to believe the informants were lying. The conviction is thought to be solely because of his membership in the Black Panther Party, the political wing of the Black Panthers.
He founded the All-Faith Meditation Group, a meditation group that promotes closeness to you're god or higher power as each case may be, open to members of all religions. It features Veronza and others leading guided meditation with the shakuhachi flute, a Japanese instrument reflective of his interest in asian healing arts.
As part of his efforts at inter-racial and inter-faith dialog, he was made an honorary elder of the Lompoc Tribe of Five Feathers, a Native American spiritual and cultural group which shares many of his beliefs about racial justice and peace.
