Ed Poindexter is a former leader of the National Committee to Combat Fascism (NCCF), a successor to the Black Panther Party, who is currently serving a life sentence for his involvement in the murder of a police officer in Nebraska. Poindexter was convicted after a bomb exploded in 1970 killing an officer responding to an abduction call. Poindexter has appealed his conviction and sentence several times and recently launched a publicity campaign to have his sentence commuted to be released from prison.
Background
Ed Poindexter served in the U.S. Army and later worked as a postal worker in Omaha, Nebraska. He was a delegate to the 1970 Douglas County Democratic Party convention. 1 In the late 1960s, Poindexter and David Rice were leaders in the Omaha chapter of the National Committee to Combat Fascism, the successor group to the local Black Panther Party organization. 2
Criminal Case
In July 1970, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms obtained a statement against NCCF that led to a warrant and search of the group’s Omaha headquarters. 3 On August 17, 1970, an unknown person called 911 to report a woman had been dragged into a vacant house in Omaha. 4 Eight police officers responded to the call and entered the house, including Larry Minard. 5 Minard was killed by a suitcase bomb that exploded after the police entered the building. 6
Eleven days after the explosion, police arrested 15-year-old Duane Peak for the bombing. 7 Peak was arrested after police received a tip that he was carrying the suitcase around the neighborhood the day before the bomb exploded. 8
Peak stated he witnessed Poindexter building the bomb in David Rice’s kitchen on August 10, 1970. 9 Peak stated he delivered the bomb to the vacant house on Poindexter’s instruction and then made the 911 call. 10 At the trial in April 1971, Peak’s testimony was the only direct evidence tying Poindexter and Rice to the bombing. 11 At a pre-trial hearing, Peak refused to say if Poindexter and Rice were involved. 12 Later, Peak returned to the witness stand and said they were involved after witnesses noted he appeared to have been “roughed up,” a claim to which Peak denied. 13 Poindexter and Rice were convicted and sentenced to life in prison. 14
Post-Conviction
In 1974, Poindexter and Rice’s appeals were denied by the Nebraska Supreme Court. 15 In 1990, then-State Senator Ernie Chambers, who was present at the trial, traveled to Washington to interview Duane Peak regarding the case. 16 Nothing new was discovered during the interview but a voice recording of Peak was made to compare it to the original 911 call. 17 In 2006, an appellate court ordered a voice analysis of 911 tape to Peak’s interview. 18 An expert testified that the voice on the 911 call was not Peak, but the Nebraska Supreme Court did not grant a new trial based on this new voice analysis. 19 In 2010, the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals refused to allow Poindexter to file an appeal in federal court on the voice analysis, ruling that it was not allowed under the federal Effective Death Penalty and Anti-Terrorism Act. 20
In 2016, Rice, who had changed his name to Wopashitwe Mondo Eyen we Langa (Mondo), died in prison. 21 In 2019, with the assistance of two attorneys, Poindexter moved for a commutation of his life sentence to time served so he could be released on parole. 22 In 2020, supporters of Poindexter attempted to rally public support for his release from prison citing health concerns, the COVID-19 pandemic, and racial unrest in the country, stating his release would “help heal racial wounds.” 23 Amnesty International has labeled Poindexter and Mondo as prisoners of conscience. 24 In August 2022, the Movement for Black Lives advocated for Poindexter and others convicted of murdering police to be released from prison, calling them “warriors.” 25
References
- Bussa, Hannah Michelle. “Freedom for Ed Poindexter.” The Gateway (University of Nebraska-Omaha). April 23, 2021. Accessed August 18, 2022. https://unothegateway.com/freedom-for-ed-poindexter/.
- North Omaha History website. “A History of the Case of Rice and Poindexter in North Omaha.” September 8, 2016. Accessed August 18, 2022. https://northomahahistory.com/2016/09/08/rice-and-poindexter/.
- North Omaha History website. “A History of the Case of Rice and Poindexter in North Omaha.” September 8, 2016. Accessed August 18, 2022. https://northomahahistory.com/2016/09/08/rice-and-poindexter/.
- Bussa, Hannah Michelle. “Freedom for Ed Poindexter.” The Gateway (University of Nebraska-Omaha). April 23, 2021. Accessed August 18, 2022. https://unothegateway.com/freedom-for-ed-poindexter/.
- Bussa, Hannah Michelle. “Freedom for Ed Poindexter.” The Gateway (University of Nebraska-Omaha). April 23, 2021. Accessed August 18, 2022. https://unothegateway.com/freedom-for-ed-poindexter/.
- Prisoner Solidarity website. www.prisonersolidarity.com. Accessed August 18, 2022. https://prisonersolidarity.com/prisoner/edward-poindexter.
- North Omaha History website. “A History of the Case of Rice and Poindexter in North Omaha.” September 8, 2016. Accessed August 18, 2022. https://northomahahistory.com/2016/09/08/rice-and-poindexter/.
- Bussa, Hannah Michelle. “Freedom for Ed Poindexter.” The Gateway (University of Nebraska-Omaha). April 23, 2021. Accessed August 18, 2022. https://unothegateway.com/freedom-for-ed-poindexter/.
- Bussa, Hannah Michelle. “Freedom for Ed Poindexter.” The Gateway (University of Nebraska-Omaha). April 23, 2021. Accessed August 18, 2022. https://unothegateway.com/freedom-for-ed-poindexter/.
- Bussa, Hannah Michelle. “Freedom for Ed Poindexter.” The Gateway (University of Nebraska-Omaha). April 23, 2021. Accessed August 18, 2022. https://unothegateway.com/freedom-for-ed-poindexter/.
- Bussa, Hannah Michelle. “Freedom for Ed Poindexter.” The Gateway (University of Nebraska-Omaha). April 23, 2021. Accessed August 18, 2022. https://unothegateway.com/freedom-for-ed-poindexter/.
- Bussa, Hannah Michelle. “Freedom for Ed Poindexter.” The Gateway (University of Nebraska-Omaha). April 23, 2021. Accessed August 18, 2022. https://unothegateway.com/freedom-for-ed-poindexter/.
- Bussa, Hannah Michelle. “Freedom for Ed Poindexter.” The Gateway (University of Nebraska-Omaha). April 23, 2021. Accessed August 18, 2022. https://unothegateway.com/freedom-for-ed-poindexter/.
- Prisoner Solidarity website. www.prisonersolidarity.com. Accessed August 18, 2022. https://prisonersolidarity.com/prisoner/edward-poindexter.
- North Omaha History website. “A History of the Case of Rice and Poindexter in North Omaha.” September 8, 2016. Accessed August 18, 2022. https://northomahahistory.com/2016/09/08/rice-and-poindexter/.
- North Omaha History website. “A History of the Case of Rice and Poindexter in North Omaha.” September 8, 2016. Accessed August 18, 2022. https://northomahahistory.com/2016/09/08/rice-and-poindexter/.
- North Omaha History website. “A History of the Case of Rice and Poindexter in North Omaha.” September 8, 2016. Accessed August 18, 2022. https://northomahahistory.com/2016/09/08/rice-and-poindexter/.
- Prisoner Solidarity website. www.prisonersolidarity.com. Accessed August 18, 2022. https://prisonersolidarity.com/prisoner/edward-poindexter.
- North Omaha History website. “A History of the Case of Rice and Poindexter in North Omaha.” September 8, 2016. Accessed August 18, 2022. https://northomahahistory.com/2016/09/08/rice-and-poindexter/; Prisoner Solidarity website. www.prisonersolidarity.com. Accessed August 18, 2022. https://prisonersolidarity.com/prisoner/edward-poindexter.
- Prisoner Solidarity website. www.prisonersolidarity.com. Accessed August 18, 2022. https://prisonersolidarity.com/prisoner/edward-poindexter.
- North Omaha History website. “A History of the Case of Rice and Poindexter in North Omaha.” September 8, 2016. Accessed August 18, 2022. https://northomahahistory.com/2016/09/08/rice-and-poindexter/.
- Bussa, Hannah Michelle. “Freedom for Ed Poindexter.” The Gateway (University of Nebraska-Omaha). April 23, 2021. Accessed August 18, 2022. https://unothegateway.com/freedom-for-ed-poindexter/.
- Hammel, Paul. “Supporters Seek ‘Benevolent Release’ for Ed Poindexter, Say It Would Help Heal Racial Wounds.” June 23, 2020. Accessed August 18, 2022. https://omaha.com/news/crime/supporters-seek-benevolent-release-for-ed-poindexter-say-it-would-help-heal-racial-wounds/article_c5f81b80-f906-57d1-bc3d-4aab175d5659.html.
- National Jericho Movement website. www.thejerichomovement.com. Accessed August 18, 2022. https://thejerichomovement.com/profile/poindexter-ed.
- Chasmar, Jessica. “BLM-Aligned Coalition Demands Release of Convicted Cop Killers.” FoxNews.com. August 15, 2022. Accessed August 18, 2022. https://www.foxnews.com/politics/blm-coalition-demands-release-convicted-cop-killers.