LINCOLN (AP) — Ed Poindexter, branded a political criminal by many civil rights advocates, died Thursday in a crime after a long war on diabetes and more than half a century of bans.
Poindexter, 79, and David Rice, who died in 2016, were convicted of murder in the 1970 bomb bombing that killed Omaha police officer Larry Minard.
Both men were members of a Black Panther-type organization and their sentencing, in the midst of an era of intense racial tensions in North Omaha, is one of the most contentious in Nebraska history.
Many claimed that Poindexter and Rice, who followed the so-called Wopashitewe Mondo Eyen we Langa, were accused of bombarding their political activism.
It was later revealed that the two men were the target of a questionable FBI program, COINTELPRO, aimed at discrediting and undermining those activists. Amnesty International had called for a retrial against him, calling Poindexter and Rice “prisoners of conscience. “
Many claimed that the star witness against the pair, Duane Peak, who planted the suitcase bomb, had lied on the stand to avoid prison.
“Because of the nature of politics, he never had the validity to be free,” Sen. Terrell McKinney of Poindexter said Friday.
Kietryn Zychal, a journalist who has written extensively on the case, said the case against Poindexter was “a ridiculous story,” but that the truth might never be revealed.
“I think it’s a mystery that will never be solved unless someone who knows something comes forward and tells the truth,” Zychal said.
While Minard’s circle of family members has consistently maintained that both men were properly convicted, a “Free Ed” motion was active for several years after the failed court appeals.
Last year, the Midwest Innocence Project agreed to take over his case, but couldn’t stop at Poindexter, who is recovering from a leg amputation due to diabetes.
A year ago, members of his family circle requested his release on medical grounds, arguing that the wheelchair-bound inmate no longer posed a threat, according to the Omaha World-Herald. But the petition, addressed to then-governor-elect Jim Pillen, was unsuccessful.
Some friends and family of Poindexter, a Vietnam veteran, were allowed to make a stopover with the detainee, who was placed in hospice care earlier this week.
Zychal said criminal officials were very accommodating to Poindexter, who was very active in advising other inmates, especially young inmates.
He worked in a criminal’s audiovisual branch and produced motivational rap songs under the name “Jammer from the Slammer”. Poindexter is also active in the Toastmasters and a criminal group, the Harambee Association, which fights alcoholism and promotes a healthy state of the brain. in criminal matters.
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by Paul Hammel, Nebraska Examiner December 8, 2023
LINCOLN — Ed Poindexter, labeled a political prisoner by many civil rights advocates, died Thursday in prison after a lengthy battle with diabetes and more than a half century behind bars.
Poindexter, 79, and David Rice, who died in prison in 2016, were convicted of murder in the 1970 booby-trap bombing that killed Omaha Police Officer Larry Minard.
Both men were members of a Black Panther-type organization and their sentencing, amid an era of intense racial tensions in north Omaha, is one of the most contentious in Nebraska history.
Many claimed that Poindexter and Rice, who followed the so-called Wopashitewe Mondo Eyen we Langa, were accused of undermining their political activism.
It was later revealed that the two men were the targets of a questionable FBI program, COINTELPRO, aimed at discrediting and undermining such activists. Amnesty International had called for a new trial against them, calling Poindexter and Rice “prisoners of conscience. “
Many claimed that the star witness opposed to the two men, Duane Peak, who planted the suitcase, lied on the stand until he went to prison.
“Due to the nature of politics, he was never eligible to be free,” Sen. Terrell McKinney of Poindexter said Friday.
Kietryn Zychal, a journalist who has written extensively about the case, said Poindexter’s case was “a ridiculous story” but that the fact would possibly never be revealed.
“I think it’s a mystery that’s never going to be solved, unless someone who knows something comes forward and tells the truth,” Zychal said.
While Minard’s circle of family members has consistently maintained that both men were properly convicted, a “Free Ed” motion was active for several years after the failed court appeals.
Last year, the Midwest Innocence Project agreed to take over his case, but couldn’t stop at Poindexter, who is recovering from a leg amputation due to diabetes.
A year ago, members of his family circle requested his release on medical grounds, arguing that the wheelchair-bound inmate no longer posed a threat, according to the Omaha World-Herald. But the petition, addressed to then-Governor-elect Jim Pillen, was unsuccessful.
Some friends and family of Poindexter, a Vietnam veteran, were allowed to make a stopover at the inmate, who was admitted to hospice care earlier this week.
Zychal said criminal officials were very accommodating to Poindexter, who was very active in advising other inmates, especially young inmates.
He worked in a criminal’s audiovisual branch and produced motivational rap songs under the name “Jammer from the Slammer”. Poindexter is also active in the Toastmasters and a criminal group, the Harambee Association, which fights alcoholism and promotes a healthy state of the brain. in criminal matters.
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Nebraska Examiner is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Nebraska Examiner maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Cate Folsom for questions: [email protected]. Follow Nebraska Examiner on Facebook and Twitter.
Senior reporter Paul Hammel has been covering the government and state of Nebraska for decades. He previously ran for the Omaha World-Herald, the Lincoln Journal Star and the Omaha Sun, and is a member of the Omaha Press Club Hall of Fame. He jumps, homebrews, plays bass, and loves to write about the state. A native of Ralston, Nebraska, he is vice president of John G. Neihardt.
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