Eddie says, "I had forgotten how much this state, this government hates me. They are moving beyond all speed in this case. They are trying me for my life. They are trying to put me on death row. And something about this case really scares me."
Robeson County District Attorney Johnson Britt says Eddie Hatcher should be put to death. The state seeks the death penalty because of Eddie's past convictions - the takeover of The Robesonian newspaper offices.
EDDIE HATCHER Former Political Prisoner
Eddie Hatcher is known worldwide for his action of February 1, 1988 when he occupied the offices of The Robesonian newspaper in Lumberton, North Carolina, in a desperate attempt to focus attention on corruption in Robeson County. Eddie demanded that the government investigate local and state officials' involvement in major drug trafficking; investigations into more than two dozen unsolved murders, mostly Natives and Blacks; investigations into the local judicial system; and investigations into the death of a young African American, who died under suspicious circumstances in the Robeson County jail
The takeover ended peacefully. One of the hostages, Bob Horne, former editor of The Robesonian, walked out of the building with Eddie. "Somebody called in and said they were going to gun them down... I went out with them to make sure that didn't happen. That wouldn't have been right," says Horne.
Eddie became the first person prosecuted by the Federal Government under Ronald Reagan's 1984 Anti-Terrorist Act. Between his arrest and his trial, seven witnesses scheduled to offer testimony to support Eddie's allegations of government drug trafficking were murdered or died under suspicious circumstances.
After a three week trial in federal court, where Eddie was ordered, by Judge T. Boyle, to represent himself, the jury found Eddie not guilty on all counts. They said he was justified in his actions. Six weeks later, in December 1988, Eddie was re-indicted by the State of North Carolina for the same charges he had been cleared of in federal court.
Eddie's attorneys, including William Kunstler, were removed from the courtroom by Judge R. Farmer and again Eddie was forced to represent himself.
On February 14, 1990, Eddie was sentenced to 18 years, with a projected parole date of 1992. Still imprisoned in 1993, the National Council of Churches declared Eddie Hatcher a political prisoner. They, along with Amnesty International and many prominent people including Senators, Congressmen, and movie stars, demanded Eddie's release from prison.
Eddie was forced to serve 7 years and was not released until May 1995, after he was denied medical treatment by the prison for AIDS related pneumonia and almost died. He was then held on house arrest and intensive parole for an additional two years until 1997.
The documentary, "Takeover: The Trials of Eddie Hatcher," which was released in 1998, details Eddie Hatcher's life and his long battle with a corrupt, racist government. It has won countless awards across the country and has been shown on PBS stations nationwide.
AFTER PAROLE
In 1998, after completing all paroles, Eddie returned to Robeson County and again became very vocal in local politics, even contemplating running for public office.
Now the District Attorney and the State of North Carolina say that Eddie Hatcher drove down a dark country road, in a 5-speed truck, on a curve, and shot through a house that sits more than 200 feet down a slope, and shot a man right between the eyes with a high powered rifle. Eddie's right arm is permanently disabled. He could have not done this. Yet, if the corrupt courts of North Carolina continue as they have, Eddie will receive the death penalty.
Now Eddie sits in maximum lockup in Central Prison. He has refused government appointed attorneys and was ordered to represent himself by Judge F. Floyd. Judge Floyd implied, in open court, that as long as Eddie had writing paper and a pen, this was all he needed to defend himself on a capital murder charge.
This is Robeson County. This is North Carolina... the Mississippi of the New Millennium.
info taken from free Eddie website.
