The murder of Malcolm X was one of the crimes that marked the history of the United States. However, the case has taken a 180 degree turn as a result of the publication of a documentary that casts doubt on the authorship of two of the convicts. It shows that evidence was hidden that proved his innocence. The Prosecutor’s Office, after a long investigation, he is going to ask this Thursday to be exonerated.
It all started in February 1965, when the awkward voice of Malcolm X, American speaker, minister, and anti-racism activist, died forever. On the 21st, he was shot to death while speaking at a meeting of the Organization of African American Unity. Two of those involved, Muhammad Abdul Aziz and Khalil Islam -at the time of the events their names were Norman 3X Butler, and Thomas 15X Johnson- were convicted.
They spent more than 20 years in jail and were paroled in the 1980s. One of them died in 2009 without the opportunity to know that, now, the Prosecutor’s Office is requesting his exoneration from the Justice. His innocence had been known for decades, by many. “Everyone knew that these two men were innocent and their families suffered a lot,” explained Barry Scheck, a member of the organization ‘Innocence Project’.
Following a Netflix documentary, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office reopened the case. Now they acknowledge that they themselves, the Police and the FBI they withheld evidence exonerating the accused. It does not clarify the main questions: who and why killed Malcolm X. A few months ago the posthumous confession of a New York police officer was made public. He claimed to have participated in an FBI conspiracy to facilitate the activist’s assassination.
The shadow of the US intelligence agency was always behind the case. Its almighty director, Edgar Hoover, he even sent a telegram to the FBI office in New York urging “do something” about Malcolm X. He was the most militant and radical face of the black struggle and an avowed communist. His murder remains full of unknowns. At least, justice is being served now, albeit late, with two victims of the same injustices that he was fighting.
Mario Twitchell is an accomplished author and journalist, known for his insightful and thought-provoking writing on a wide range of topics including general and opinion. He currently works as a writer at 247 news agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the industry.
