MN - Officer James Sackett, 28, fatally shot, St Paul, 22 May 1970

Larry L. Clark and Ronald L. Reed ambushed and killed St. Paul police officer James Sackett on May 22, 1970, "to make names for themselves" in hopes of getting national Black Panther Party leaders to support a fledging Minnesota chapter led by Reed, prosecutors said in court Thursday. But defense attorneys argued that murder indictments against the men should be dismissed because they are based on weak testimony from unreliable witnesses, some of whom are seeking money or a reduced prison term in exchange for their cooperation.

"We believe that this has been not so much an investigation as reaching a conclusion, and doing everything in your power to justify it," said Tom Handley, one of Clark's attorneys.

Ramsey County Chief District Judge Gregg Johnson took under advisement the indictment dismissal motion and a request by defense attorneys that the men be tried separately.

The judge did so after a daylong hearing, where new details emerged in the case in which most evidence has been sealed from public view.

The grand jury heard from witnesses who said that Reed advocated killing a police officer at Black Panther meetings and admitted his involvement in Sackett's murder to two people, prosecutors said.

Two witnesses also said that Clark admitted his involvement in Sackett's killing to them, according to court papers filed by prosecutors.


entire article: http://www.startribune.com/stories/462/5532166.html

http://www.grandforks.com/mld/grandforks/13985279.htm

Jury convicts man in case of police officer killed in 1970

ST. PAUL - A jury convicted Ronald Reed on Wednesday in the shooting death of St. Paul police officer James Sackett nearly 36 years ago

The jury found Reed, 55, of Chicago, guilty on both counts - first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder.

Ramsey County prosecutor Susan Hudson told jurors during her closing argument that Reed set up the "cold-blooded assassination" of Sackett, who was shot while answering a fake call about a pregnant woman in labor May 22, 1970.

Prosecutors alleged that Reed and co-defendant Larry Clark, who are black, wanted to impress the national leadership of the Black Panthers by killing a while police officer.

Reed's sentencing was scheduled for later Wednesday. Clark, 54, is scheduled to face trial on the same charges in April.

Clark was also convicted of first degree murder in the assassination of Officer Sackett.

Look's to me like a clear case of reverse discrimination, and a violation of Officer Sackett's civil right's... everybody should be treated equal