BANO Marin County Courthouse Shootout / Soledad Brothers

Duration: 600

Year Published: 1970

Creator: KRON News 4

Complete Record: Various shots of what appears to be an outside of a jail. Shows someone sticking hand outside window giving the peace sign. Cuts to MS of a George Jackson saying that he thinks racism is a control mechanism. Jackson is smoking and listens to the reporter ask why the prison would use such a device? He responds there is no other way a group of 30 men can be controlled. Racism is a subtle control mechanism. He mentions being in San Quentin. MS of another male. MS of ashtray and cigarettes. LS of 3 men on a roof. CU of a broken window. MS of a reporter in front a the Alameda county court house. He says one of the inmates that tried to escape today is Steven Hegaret. He’s on trial for murder, he’s been here since 1978 and he facing the death penalty. MS of a reporter in front of a court room. He says the defense in this case has said all along their is conspiracy in this case to kill San Quentin convict George Jackson. Various shots of men in suits, in Marin County Court house. LS of police jumping a fence running inside a building. CU of angry women yelling into the cameras. CU of a man in a suit saying upon opening the van they saw Judge Harold Haley lying their with part of his face blown off. Most likely from a shot gun. History(On Aug..7, 1970, 17-year-old Jonathan Jackson, observing a trial in Northern California's Marin County courthouse, suddenly pulled a pistol from under his raincoat, ordering everyone to freeze. As stunned officials and spectators watched, he then distributed guns from a briefcase to three San Quentin inmates, "all of whom were in the courtroom in connection with the charge that one of them, James McClain, had knifed a San Quentin guard. As they moved outside toward an escape van rented by Jackson, they shanghaied five hostages, including presiding Judge Harold Haley, an assistant district attorney and three female jurors. A sawed-off shotgun was taped under the chin of the judge. When Jackson, the fugitives and the hostages began pulling away from the area in the van, a vicious gun battle ensued between the four men and the police. Before the shootout was over, the judge's head had been blown off, Jackson and two of the convicts, McClain and William Arthur Christmas,were mortally wounded. Two of the hostages were wounded, one seriously, and one convict, Ruchell Magee.) WS of Marin County Court house parking lot with a hertz van and blood on the cement. CU of broken window, shattered glass. MS of a dead man hunched over inside the van. CU of bullet holes in the van. Shot of a woman being wheeled into the hospital. Various people being brought into hospital. CU of a man talking about spinal cord injury and no feeling in the legs. WS of a Jewish memorial service. MS of a man slumped in the passenger seat with door open. CU of broken glass on the car seat next to another dead person. LS of the investigation of the vehicle. Various shots with the police. CU of bullet casing and circle of chalk on cement. CU of a woman speaking of the politics of the time and the case. She speaks about Popeye’s execution and the reasons why? WS of a church congregation with a few different speakers. LS of a man behind bars being asked questions through a screen. He’s asked, do you have any idea who would want to kill Popeye?