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Last Man Standing: The Tragedy and Triumph of Geronimo Pratt

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I crossed paths with author Jack Olsen a few years ago, when he was researching his book, "Hastened to the Grave: The Gypsy Murder Investigation," about a suspected serial murder case I covered as a reporter. He interviewed me, checked my documents, and came up with many more on his own. I was impressed by his thoroughness, and when I learned he was writing about framed former Black Panther Party leader Geronimo Pratt, I decided to not only pick up the book as a good backgrounder on the case, but to write a profile for my newspaper, The San Jose Mercury News (the piece has yet to be published), about how Pratt's been spending his time as a free man after years behind bars as a political prisoner, convicted wrongfully by a government set-up. Evidence now strongly suggests he was framed because of his radical politics.

A couple of weeks ago, I traveled to Morgan City, LA, Pratt's hometown, to interview him. He's read Olsen's book and said its facts were dead-on, a good testimony of accuracy for a work of non-fiction. I also found no discrepencies when I interviewed other key players.

I live in Oakland, where the Panthers got their start. But the story's chilling message should resonate far beyond my community -- it's a story about how unchecked local and federal police authority corrupt democracy, about judges too frightened of the FBI to carry out their duties, about a man unbent by his time in "the hole" -- a hellish box where Pratt spent eight of his prison years -- and of the selfless lawyers who fought to win his freedom.

Defense attorney Johnnie Cochran of O.J. Simpson fame was one of Pratt's two key lawyers throughout this time. And, even though my belief is that Simpson was guilty, I can see -- after knowing that Cochran had to battle his way through government conspiracies and coverups in the Pratt case -- why he might actually think Simpson was framed.

Great book, important book. And, what the hell, it's also a fun read.

The story of geronimo pratt and his tragic and finally triumphant journey through the american criminal justice system is a classic story of the power of the human spirit and the political and racial injustice of our criminal justice system. I know something about geronimo's case and our criminal justice system: I have been a criminal defense attorney for 26 years and one of geronimo's attorneys for 28 years, beginning working on his case while in law school.Jack Olsen has captured the truth, horror and ultimate victory of this case . The story is not just geronimos; it is the story of many people who fought for his freedom beause of their belief in justice. The book should be read by everyone who is interested in our legal and political system; it should be read in high schools and colleges and law schools so that young people can get an honest view of what can happen in this country when police get too much power, when we let someones political views or race determine whether they are a "criminal".Jack Olsen worked for three years to create this book. The result is a brilliant book that is engrossing and that once again proves that truth can be stranger and ultimately more uplifting than fiction.

When the Black Panther Party for Self Defense burst upon the social and political scene in 1967 it was populated by some of the most colourful and frightening personalities ever to emerge in American history. In the maelstrom that followed "Panthers" would die, police would be shot and a nation would be confronted with the image of black leather-clad "Panthers" Huey Newton and Bobby Seale, berets askew, shouting "All power to the people" and brandishing guns. Black Panther "Minister of Information" Eldridge Cleaver would travel to Moscow, Libya and Syria seeking support for "the black people's struggle in the US" and the FBI's Herbert Hoover would launch his organization's most secret, widespread and extralegal program; COINTELPRO, in an attempt to destroy the "threat" of black nationalism.

At the virtual epicentre of all of this stood Geronimo Pratt, a soldier in the Black Panthers who not only played a key role in the development of the party and its subsequent notoriety but perhaps also paid the steepest price for his involvement. In Last Man Standing-The Tragedy and Triumph of Geronimo Pratt author Jack Olsen outlines Pratt's involvement in the Black Panther Party, chronicles some of the day to day realities of living and working within "The Party" and then details how Pratt was accused and ultimately convicted of the murder of a woman during a robbery. The bulk of the book is then concerned with the efforts of Pratt's ever-changing legal team (including the infamous Johnnie Cochran) to prove Pratt's innocence.

Last Man Standing is a well-written, well documented book which manages to maintain its objectivity while discussing a subject that obviously has significant political overtones. Olsen deserves credit for his refusal to engage in hyperbole and for refusing to gloss over the less attractive aspects of the Black Panther Party (BPP). Olsen, and by extension Pratt himself don't make apologies for what the BPP was, or what was done in its name. But then again the book isn't really so much about the BPP as it is about one man (Pratt) and his struggle to clear his name. In recounting this struggle the book really comes in to its own. Olsen manages to compress a long timeline and a plethora of events into a compelling and informative narrative without any obvious oversights. More importantly, in his discussion of the people on the "other side" of the equation Olsen -like, we are told, Pratt himself- shows compassion and objectivity. Not once does Olsen sink to the crass generalizations and petty characterizations which are so often characteristic of books which chronicle the struggle of individuals against "the establishment"

Make no mistake however, "the establishment" is present in this book. The reader is guided through the labyrinthine court proceedings not only against the charge itself but also against the California Department of Corrections for its treatment of Pratt while in prison, and ultimately the FBI for its surreptitious involvement throughout the case. Much of what is documented will shock some readers, for it details much of what can happen when a system is abused and when justice (or injustice) becomes personalized. In this too Olsen's Last Man Standing is laudably objective. There are no villains in this book as there are no heroes, just ordinary people with vastly different agendas. What does emerge is a portrait of Geronimo Pratt as man who has accepted his situation but fought to determine his fate with a grace which made him worthy of being cast as a hero. A portrait which is bordered with descriptions of the varied cast of Pratt supporters that has assembled over the years- a portrait which Olsen creates with unsparing accuracy.

Last man Standing- The Tragedy and Triumph of Geronimo Pratt is an excellent narrative history which engages the reader early on, propels them through a whirlwind of violence, idealism, conspiracy and rage and leaves them with a greater understanding of the motivations of the people involved; in a case that is one of the last vestiges of the explosive decade of the sixties. This book is an excellent examination of Geronimo Pratt's struggle for freedom and goes a long way to redressing the current load of needlessly vitriolic books dealing with the Black Panther Party, its members and the government response to them. Well worth the price, this is an informative, entertaining book which should be read by everyone.

This is certainly one of the best books I've ever read. Jack Olsen did an outstanding job of weaving together all the facts in a highly readable narrative of one of the most blatant chapters of injustice in 20th century legal history.

I already had considerable knowledge of the case before I read this book. In the early 1990s, the case was being publicized again. I was a reporter for Wave Newspapers in Los Angeles and journeyed with a co-worker to the state prison at Tehachapi where Pratt was then being held and we interviewed him. I then wrote several stories about his situation.

Pratt was imprisoned for 27 years for a crime he clearly did not commit. The prosecution was part of the FBI's notorious COINTELPRO operation-essentially a war against numerous dissenting groups in the 1960s including the Black Panther Party. As Olsen makes clear, in Pratt's case this also involved LAPD and the L.A. County District Attorney's office.

Pratt was convicted of the December 1968 Santa Monica tennis-court murder of school teacher Caroline Olsen. There was considerable doubt about the credibility of key-witness Julius Butler, who had a previous falling out with Pratt, and was later proven to be an informant. (When I was a reporter, I actually contacted Butler. He yelled that he was "tired of this" and hung up on me.) Plus, numerous other Panthers could have confirmed he was at a meeting in Oakland the day of the murder but most wouldn't testify because of a severe split in the ranks.

Appeal after appeal was turned down despite more and more evidence being discovered pointing to Pratt's innocence. In all probability the crime was committed by two low-level Panther members to obtain money for drugs.

That ties in with the only complaint I would make about Olsen's book. He really glossed over the fact that the FBI and police campaign against the Panthers (which I am not defending) was not just because of their militant political rhetoric. They had a lot of criminal types within the group.

Regardless, this is an extraordinary book about another era and the governmental abuses of that time. Johnnie Cochran redeemed himself in my eyes by getting Pratt released. That was after he was involved in a travesty of justice, himself, by getting O.J. Simpson off. But that's another story.

Jack Olsen's "Last Man Standing" reveals the frightening truth about the abuse of power by the FBI, the LAPD, and the California Department of Corrections. Lest any reader think that this is an isolated case, although undeniably it is the most extreme example of abuse and cruelty, be aware that the unbridled power of law enforcement is prevasive in our society which appears to be content to be driven by fear. I first met Geronimo in 1982. He was, and continues to be, a man of grace and compassion. His ability to withstand all of the torments and injustices inflicted on him while maintaining his sense of humor and concern for others is nothing short of miraculous. Olsen has captured his spirit. So also, the book clearly sets forth the undying efforts of Geronimo's many attorneys, especially Stu Hanlon, who has had more than his share of suffering. That Geronimo was finally released and the frameup exposed is a tribute not only to the individual attorneys and innumerable others who were involved and kept the fight alive, but to all American defense attorneys and those who work for defendant's rights who perform a vital but thankless service in preserving our Constitutional rights.

I just read the book in one sitting on a flight from San Francisco to Sydney. The book held my interest and kept me awake. I have a new appreciation for life from the perspective of a black man, especially several decades ago. Also I no longer think Johnnie Cochrane is a worm - he comes through as one of the heroes in the book, an the phrase "if the glove doesn't fit ..." is not there at all. I found the book moving, especially at the end when Geronimo sees his mother for the first time in over 20 years. And I found it inspiring, that folks hung in to battle for over 20 years against an injustice and they finally prevailed.

Last Man Standing a book that chronicles the life of Geronimo Pratt is truly a literay masterpiece. The author (Jack Olsen) did an excellent job of taking the reader into the depths of the American justice system. Olsens depiction of the Geronimo Pratt case may allow you to put any remaining thoughts of the O.J trial to rest. Witnessing the pain and sacrifice experienced by Geronimo and his attorneys is truly astonishing. How a man could experience such cruel and unusual punishment and harbor no ill feeling toward those who orchestrated his demise is a testiment to the true character of a man who refused to allow the system to crush his spirit. Last man standing is a book that will keep you up late at night telling yourself that you will read just one more chapter.

... In this respect, Last Man Standing, author Jack Olsen's biography of former Black Panther Geronimo Pratt details a gripping, unfathomable, tale of a man wrongly accused of murder and as a result, spends decades in prison.

While growing up in the impoverished, rural Louisiana bayou, Pratt learned how hard life can be. Tough lessons from his hard nosed father, Jack Pratt, taught Geronimo and his sibblings the value of hard work, self-reliance, and mental toughness. Geronimo, unfortunately would be forced to rely on these lessons during his constant struggle for survival throughout his entire adult life, most of which was spent incarcerated. Along with the childhood teachings of his father and a passionate sense of determination, Pratt was able to endure a fate and hardships that would have broken the average individual.

Generations of African Americans after Geronimo Pratt will only be able to hear stories about what life was like in the 1960's and 1970's living as a radical trying to change the system by force. The Black Panther Party (BPP) serves as one of the most famous movements opposite the more visible nonviolent protests of the 60's. As one of the leaders of the Party, Pratt quickly rose to a powerful level within the organization. Ironically, Pratt's murder conviction was the result of members of the BPP uniting against him as well as the over zealousness of law enforcement divisions dedicated to the group's extinction.

A good portion of the biography centers around Pratt's trial for murder. Readers will find it hard not to get caught up in the conspiracy theories and paranoia that the defendant had to be feeling at the time. Compelling arguments made by Pratt's lawyer, a talented young Johnnie Cochran, will instantly put you in Pratt's corner.

After being presented with the facts of the case, I firmly believe that Geronimo Pratt was innocent of the crime of which he was convicted. Readers however, should remember that they are being presented with only one side of the story. The facts however, are presented clearly enough for each person to form their own opinion.

I felt that this book did a good job of bringing to light the good things that the BPP did (free meals programs, literacy/education initiatives, programs to combat poverty) but I think it did a disservice by glossing over the more militant edge of the organization. Despite that minor let down, I found this novel gripping, and uplifting and I would highly recommend it to any non-fiction reader.

I give "LAST MAN STANDING" a rating of 3

If Olsen has ever written a bad book, I haven't seen it. And some of his work is just so astonishingly wonderful, it follows me around for weeks and months afterward -- haunting my thoughts. The energy of his writing, the scope of his research, and the beauty of his narrative leaves me longing for the next book, and the next. I wonder if Olsen recognizes what a contribution he makes to his readers' lives. Each of his books is an enriching experience. I realize that I've babbled on here about the author, not even getting to Mr. Pratt and the tragedy and triumph of his life's story -- but I needn't do that because Jack Olsen has said it all, and it's waiting for you between the covers of this remarkable book. I promise you if you order it, you will not regret it. You will rejoice. It's a work of art.

Superlative investigative reporting, coupled with a riveting narrative, makes for a compelling and remarkable book that keeps the reader turning its pages. The author deftly chronicles the amazing journey of Geronimo Pratt, a decorated Vietnam War veteran and Black Panther Party leader, who, in 1970, fell victim to a political power struggle and was incarcerated for a murder that he simply did not commit.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Los Angeles Police Department, and the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office, all affirmatively conspired to bring about this miscarriage of justice through a shameful and colossal abuse of power. Make no bones about it. The author weaves a most convincing indictment of the culpability of these agencies in this matter. It is a shameful episode within the criminal justice system.

Were it not for the concerted efforts of his dedicated legal team, spearheaded by attorneys Stuart Hanlon and Johnnie Cochran, Geronimo Pratt would most likely still be waiting for justice. They stayed the course with him the entire time. It was through their dogged determination that Geromino Pratt's twenty seven year odyssey through the criminal justice system finally came to an end. It was a journey that few would care to make.

This book is a testament to one man's faith in himself and in the truth that ultimately set him free. It is also a testament to the skill of the author in penning such a spellbinding tour de force.