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Attorney Paul Magnarella, utilizing the writ of coram nobis, filed his first petition with the Federal District Court in Kansas outlining the judicial errors in Pete O’Neal’s 1970 trial and requesting a new trial. Magnarella argued that California Youth Authority law had expunged O’Neal’s early convictions, thereby making O’Neal ineligible for indictment under the Federal Gun Control Act. He also argued that Judge Arthur J. Stanley’s acceptance of the FBI’s warrantless wiretaps of O’Neal’s telephone and the judge’s refusal to hand over the data from the wiretaps to O’Neal were contrary to the U.S. Constitution. To justify O’Neal’s flight and fugitive status, Magnarella explained that O’Neal fled abroad to avoid threats on his life. Magnarella described how the FBI through its COINTEL program conspired with local police to commit illegal acts designed to eliminate the Black Panther Party.

Paul Magnarella describes his first meeting with the O’Neals and summarizes their experiences and accomplishments in Tanzania and abroad. Through the UAACC the O’Neals have organized free workshops and classes on health and nutrition, conservation, AIDS education, writing, art appreciation, crafts, history, and computer skills to well over 100 Tanzanian youths annually. They established a student-exchange program with De LaSalle Academy in Kansas City, a Sister City relationship between Arusha and Kansas City, as well as linkages with several study-abroad programs in the U.S. Their supporters have donated needed medical supplies and equipment to Arusha hospitals. The UAACC and the Kuji Foundation, created by Geronimo Ji Jaga Pratt, hired a South African company to drill a deep well for the village community. Geronimo’s Fugi Foundation also donated an ambulance truck to the UAACC. With support from the Fugi Foundation, the Center trained several young, mixed-gender Tanzanian teams to install solar panels in 85 village homes that had no electricity. Charlotte O’Neal has become a recognized visual and spoken-word artist, musician, and filmmaker. She travels the world giving performances and spreading the news of the UAACC. Both she and Pete O’Neal have received many awards and recognitions for their communal work.

In chapter 5 Pete O’Neal describes his arrest in Kansas City, Missouri, for allegedly violating the Federal Gun Control Act of 1968. O’Neal travels to California to seek help from Charles Gary, the Panthers’ regular defense attorney. Rather than offering to defend O’Neal, Gary tells him he could help the Party more from inside prison. Deeply disappointed, O’Neal leaves the Black Panther Party and forms the Sons of Malcolm. He is convicted in Federal District Court with attorney Austin Shute defending and Judge Arthur J. Stanley presiding. Fearing that he would be killed in prison, O’Neal flees to Sweden with his wife, Charlotte.

Judge Van Bebber invoked the fugitive disentitlement doctrine and denied the latest petition for a new trial. He stated that O’Neal should not be able to benefit by a positive adjudication of his claims without submitting himself to the risks of an unfavorable decision. However, O’Neal had sworn in his affidavit that he would return to the United States for a new trial and thereby face the risks of an unfavorable decision. Magnarella critiques both Judge O’Connor and Judge Van Bebber for valuing the preservation of judicial resources over justice by refusing to take the time to carefully examine the merits of O’Neal’s petitions. Magnarella regards the judges’ invocation of the fugitive disentitlement doctrine as cover-up for the judicial errors, prosecutorial irregularities, and constitutional violations that characterized O’Neal’s unfair trial in 1970. O’Neal reacted to the latest petition denial with deep disappointment.

Chapter 4 discusses the strained relations between the Black Panthers and the Kansas City, Missouri, police department and the federal government. Police hostility toward Pete O’Neal resulted in frequent traffic stops, constant surveillance, and other harassing tactics. A newspaper article by a Panther that applauded the death of John Edward Dacy, a local policeman, infuriated the police. The Panthers publically charged Police Chief Clarence Kelley with the sale of confiscated weapons to right-wing organizations. Black and white citizens expressed concern over the brutal beating police inflicted on four unarmed Panthers who tried to attend the police chief’s press conference. The U.S. House Committee on Internal Security conducted investigations and held hearings on the Kansas City Black Panther Party but produced no evidence of criminal activity by the Panthers.

While on bail, prior to his appeals, Pete and Charlotte O’Neal escaped to Sweden and then to Algiers where Eldridge Cleaver accepted them into the International Section of the Black Panther Party. An American, Elaine Klein, helped Cleaver and the Black Panther Party become recognized by the Algerian government as an anti-colonial movement. Pete describes the organization and activities of the International Section, focusing on its contacts with the embassies of various communist states and non-state revolutionary groups. He explains the reasons for the split in the Party between Huey Newton and Eldridge Cleaver, the latter’s departure from the Party, and Pete’s assumption of the International Section’s leadership role. O’Neal describes the two plane hijackings to Algiers, the resulting frictions between the Panthers and the Algerian government, and the Panthers’ departure from Algeria. Pete also relates the Panthers’ experiences with some visitors, including Timothy Leary.

Defense attorney Paul Magnarella describes American law enforcement’s attempt to bribe Pete O’Neal to arrange for the arrest of fugitive Assata Shakur, who enjoyed refuge from U.S. authorities in Cuba. Magnarella informed O’Neal of the bribe offer, which included money and a possible reduction of O’Neal’s four-year sentence. O’Neal emphatically rejected the offer.

Pete O’Neal describes his failed first marriage and his inability to adapt to a standard working-class life style. Once free from marriage he achieves his 12^th Street ideal by becoming a pimp, only to experience a mental and spiritual breakdown. He commits himself to working for the black community and forms the Black Vigilantes to protect blacks from police abuse. He travels to the Black Panther Party headquarters in Oakland, California, to train and then get permission to form a branch of the Party in Kansas City. He describes the Party’s personnel, structure, and workings in Kansas. Pete marries fellow member Charlotte Hill, and years later both recollect their first meeting and how the Party saved their lives.

In 1972 Pete and Charlotte O’Neal and their young son left Algeria for Tanzania where some African Americans from the mid-West had immigrated in response to the Tanzanian ambassador’s invitation to contribute to Tanzania’s building. On the way, Pete meets with Libya’s Muammar Khadafi, who gives him a ring and monetary aid. After a brief stay in Dar es Salaam, the O’Neals move to Ngaramtoni and become farmers. Charlotte explains why she wanted to leave Algeria in favor of Tanzania. In 1974 Tanzanian officials arrest many of the African American immigrants after discovering a small number of undeclared firearms in a shipment of household goods sent to them from the U.S. Police also arrest Pete O’Neal for possessing a walkie-talkie. The arrest and incarceration experience, known as the “Big Bust,” caused many of the Americans to leave Tanzania.

After living in Ngaramtoni for five years, Charlotte and Pete buy a vacant piece of rocky land in Embaseni village near Arusha, in the tribal land of the Meru people. Pete and Charlotte O’Neal construct a multi-building compound consisting of their home, guest house, dormitories for visiting students, dining facility, classrooms, workshops, and a home for over twenty underprivileged Tanzanian children. They establish friendly relations with the Meru and work to bring piped water and electricity to parts of the village. With financial help from Omar Jamal, a Washington, D.C., businessman, they create the United African American Community Center to promote Tanzanian development and share Tanzanian traditions with Americans. In separate interviews, Pete and Charlotte assess their lives and experience raising a family in Tanzania. Pete also describes meeting attorney Paul Magnarella and asking him to review his 1970 trial.

Paul Magnarella describes his legal work with the UN Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia and his travel to Arusha, Tanzania, to work with the UN Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda. He describes meeting the O’Neals and agreeing to become Pete O’Neal’s attorney. After examining Pete’s court records and trial transcript, Magnarella concludes that the presiding judge, Arthur J. Stanley, made a number of crucial errors that resulted in Pete’s wrongful conviction. Magnarella examines Judge Stanley’s previous famous case involving George John Gessner, a private first-class nuclear weapons specialist. Judge Stanley’s court found Gessner guilty of communicating restrictive data to a foreign nation. Federal appellate judges overturned the conviction, ruling that the U.S. military had coerced Gessner’s confession and the Stanley court had suspended Gessner’s constitutional protections to satisfy the needs of government.

Chapter 1 covers Pete O’Neal’s life from childhood to young adulthood. Pete describes his family life—his sometimes violent father, his nurturing mother, and his grandmother. He describes his first arrest at age eleven and the racist language and physical intimidation of the policeman who interrogated him. He explains how the night life on Kansas City’s 12^th Street both frightened and attracted him because of the admiration paid to its successful hustlers. Pete fails to socially adjust to racially integrated high school. After more scrapes with the law, he joins the Navy to avoid detention, only to be dishonorably discharged after fighting with fellow seamen and violating orders. He ends up in Soledad Prison where he applies himself to the education program it offers and achieves a sense of accomplishment by winning the Toastmaster International writing and speaking competition.