History

American Justice on Trial: People v. Newton

Black Panthers co-founder Huey Newton is accused of murdering a white policeman after a car stop in 1967 Oakland. A landmark trial ensues and Newton's defense team calls out racism in the judicial system. With a death penalty looming, a shocking verdict is delivered that still reverberates today

American Justice on Trial: People v. Newton

39m 1s

Black Panthers co-founder Huey Newton is accused of murdering a white policeman after a car stop in 1967 Oakland. A landmark trial ensues and Newton's defense team calls out racism in the judicial system. With a death penalty looming, a shocking verdict is delivered that still reverberates today

Episodes

  • American Justice on Trial: People v. Newton: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    American Justice on Trial: People v. Newton

    E1 - 39m 1s

    Black Panthers co-founder Huey Newton is accused of murdering a white policeman after a car stop in 1967 Oakland. A landmark trial ensues and Newton's defense team calls out racism in the judicial system. With a death penalty looming, a shocking verdict is delivered that still reverberates today

Extras + Features

  • From Pianist to Black Power Revolutionary: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    From Pianist to Black Power Revolutionary

    E1 - 2m 54s

    Several people who knew him describe the evolution of Huey P. Newton, from classical pianist and philosopher to radical revolutionary and co-founder of the Black Panther Party, whose brazen armed occupation of the California Capitol in 1967 to protest gun control legislation became an iconic historical moment.

  • Selecting The Jury: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Selecting The Jury

    E1 - 2m 33s

    Up to the time of People v. Newton, most murder trails were comprised of 12 white men. Black people, women and minorities were historically excluded from juries, especially criminal trials. In a historic first, along with the seating of mostly women and minority jurors, David Harper was voted as jury foreman in the groundbreaking Newton murder trial.

  • Protests Outside the Courthouse: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Protests Outside the Courthouse

    E1 - 2m 55s

    Former Black Panther Kathleen Cleaver describes the massive protests and clashes with police outside of the Alameda County courthouse where Black Panther co-founder Huey P. Newton was on trial for the murder of a white policeman that Newton and his defense team claimed was in self-defense.

  • Trailer: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Trailer

    E1 - 30s

    Black Panthers co-founder Huey Newton is accused of murdering a white policeman after a car stop in 1967 Oakland. A landmark trial ensues and Newton's defense team calls out racism in the judicial system. With a death penalty looming, a shocking verdict is delivered that still reverberates today

  • Jury Deliberations: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Jury Deliberations

    E1 - 2m 36s

    David Harper, the black jury foreman of the 1968 Huey P. Newton murder trial, lays out in detail the facts and evidence of the killing, and describes the jury’s tense and emotional deliberations that will decide Newton’s fate.

WETA Passport

Stream tens of thousands of hours of your PBS and local favorites with WETA Passport whenever and wherever you want. Catch up on a single episode or binge-watch full seasons before they air on TV.

Similar Shows