◆ SpookStack

sa - bs a St en ees Oe r x ar et awe Lee oe ~ i By James Warren *. Citing newly released documents, Black Panther lawyers . Wednesday charged that improper correspondence between > the trial judge and top federal officials suggest an early at- - tempt to “whitewash” ‘their celebrated case. In a motion filed in U.S. Court of Appeals, the lawyers seek ” a new hearing on allegations that the g¢vernment hid key evi- dence and esk for disciplinary measures against U.S. District * Court Senior. Judge Joseph Sam Perry. s Last April, a three-member appeals panel reinstated the * multimiltion-doliar civil suit against former Cook County State’s Atly. Edward V. Hanrahan and others, including the ‘FBI, who conducted the 1969 raid in which Panthers Fred - Hampton and Mark Clark were killed. . ‘During the original trial the Panther lawyers had moved for: : a mistrial, citing massive withholding of evidence. Perry * turned then: down but said he would consider the matter at trial’s end, The new documents, procured under Freedom of Informa- tion Act requests, indicate that while that issue was pending, ’ correspondence took place betsveen Perry, then-U.S. Atty. . Gen. Edward H. Levi and Charles P, Kocoras, top assistant to’. . then-U.S. Atty. Samuel K. Skinner, The letters reveal that a year hefore he actually ruled, Perry " essentially told Levi, Skinner and Kocoras—the officials asked to investigate charges of improper conduct by Bovernment | lawyers~that he would tule in their favor. ~ ead could | not be reached, te ee at ae 2c a . « . i | 7 Panther lawyers hit itidoe’s setters | For example, in an April 23, 1978, letter marked “confiden- |; tial,” Perry tesponded to a request by Xecoras for information |: concerning the conduct of the lawyers and several Federal Bu- reau of Investigation agents. : The judge concluded that the lawyers and agents “have re- presented ali of the present and former FBI agents and the |. former ‘informant for the FB{ in the ‘highest tradition of the Bar. They are to be commended for their conduct in a most |! difficult case.” - The same day, Perry sent another fetter marked “confiden- [; tial’ to Levi. He enclosed his letter to Kocoras and again con- cluded that the lawyers and agents “should be complimented for their standard of ‘conduct in the case.” The Panther lawyers’ motion states: “These false and glow- ing determinations of the good faith of the defendants and their attorneys were, of course, precisely what he ultimately ruled a year later on the motion for sanctions, which, was pending before him when he wrote these letters.” Perry declined comment, and Levy, Kocoras and Skinner Eff 7 jp, SBARCETD___INsxap 7 SORUALIL ID GN We moo t FoI-CLiCAGO ASTRON Care tOnE LEIMETP HH