Police may attack rebel prisoners

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32711, 14 September 1971, Page 1

Police may attack rebel prisoners

(N.Z. Press Association —Copyright! ATTICA (New York), September 13. State officials alerted 700 state police today for a possible assault on rebellious prisoners who are holding 38 hostages at Attica State Prison, United Press International reported.

The prisoners say that they will kill their captives unless total amnesty is granted. The Governor of New York (Mr Nelson Rockefeller) rejected appeals from a citizens’ group yesterday that he personally intervened He said that he did not have authority to grant the prisoners' amnesty demands, and would not do so even if he couldA stand-off has existed since about two hours after an estimated 1000 convicts . began rioting at mid-morning on Thursday. . Tension increased yesterday when the Black Panther I Party chairman, Mr Bobby j Seale, walked out on negotiations, claiming officials I would not let him take part ! in the talks unless he tried s to persuade the prisoners to : surrender. A short time later hundI reds of police mobilised at the high-walled prison. High-pressure hose lines . were dragged into position 1 and a fourth helicopter with riot control equipment Was landed outside the prison. j There was no immediate effort to free the hostages and | a fragile calm descended at i darkness. Prisoners still held an open courtyard and two of the four cell blocks they seized. Amnesty demand I Prisoners have demanded I amnesty from criminal prosecution from all acts that occurred after the take-over, in- | eluding the death of a guard Mr William Quinn, agea 28. Mr Quinn died on Saturday of injuries after he was beaten and thrown out of a I second-storey window on I Thursday. Mr William Kunstler, the attorney for the Chicago I Seven, told the corrections commissioner, Mr Russell I Oswald that the prisoners I said they would kill hostages •if their demands were not granted. Mr kunstler also told Mr Oswald that the prionsers were still displaying “unflinching solidity” in their efforts to obtain their r demands. Mr Kunstler is a member of , the Citizens’ Observer Group that includes many state leg- : islators, journalists, leaders ] in the black and Puerto Rican , communities and civil rights activists. The group has been serving as an intermediary between Mr Oswald, and the rebel leaders. Mr Kunstler described the situation as a stalemate and a reporter said that one of the prisoners told, him “any result will be the result of the commissioner moving not us.” Hostages well Tom Wicker, associate edi- > tor of the “New York Times” ! and a members of the Citizens’ Observer Group, said the hostages appeared to be 1 in good health and were getting adequate food and medical care.

He said that five hostages he spoke to asked that as much consideration as possible be given to the rebels’ request for criminal amnesty and "requested strongly”

that Governor Rockefeller come to Attica.

They also urged authorities to avoid a show of force which might touch off violence.

In his statement, Mr Rockefeller said that he did not believe “my physical presence on the site can contribute to a peaceful settlement”

The Governor also said he was in full agreement with Mr Oswald’s proposals aimed at ending the impasse and "the inmates must now be offered a direct opportunity to respond." They replied, Mr Kunstler said, by repeating the death threat.

A.A.P.-Reuter said the com* missioner had released a list of items, demanded by the prisoners that he had agreed to, encompassing most of the administrative and other reforms that had led to the riot. These include an end to. censorship of reading materials, the right to be active politically, a more nutritious diet and an expansion in library programmes.

United Press International reported that officials estimated about 500 prisoners were active in the take-over, with another 500 not accounted for. Attica, the biggest of the : state's correctional facilities, has about 2200 prisoners.