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Pendleton Marines Released

By VVAW

The release of eight defendants from the brig marks a breakthrough in the case of 14 Black marines arrested for attacking what they thought was a Ku Klux Klan meeting at Camp Pendleton near San Diego, California.

On November 13, 1976, the 14 Marines broke into a barracks room and fought with six Marines (four white, two Mexican-Americans). Later it turned out they had burst into the wrong room. The Klan, in a widely announced public meeting, was actually next door armed with .357 magnums and knives. Twelve of the Blacks were charged with conspiracy to commit murder; two pleaded guilty to less charges. (For more information, see the Feb/March issue of The Veteran.)

For five months before the incident, a dozen or so Klan members had been operating freely on base without any trouble from the brass. They threatened and harassed Blacks, bragged about sabotaging a Black officer's car and carried knives they called their "nigger stickers."

Following the incident, the Marine Corps punished one Klansman, Dennis Campbell; they gave him a small fine for using government equipment to run off his scummy leaflets.

On the other hand, 8 of the Black marines accused of planning the attack on the Klan have been held for the last 3 months in the brig--without bail. They've been kept isolated from the public and have hardly even been able to see their lawyers. The Klan has been given full media coverage to peddle their racist trash.

The cases of the 12 remaining defendants have been severed from each other to prevent a joint defense. The military court has already declared it will not allow them to raise the issue of Klan attacks on Black GIs in the trials--the only "issue" is the barracks room fight.

The San Diego chapter of VVAW is organizing to free the Black Marines and to defend their righteous intention to deal with the Klan. On February 19 VVAW held a demonstration in front of the Marine Corps Recruiters office in San Diego. The 25 people demonstrating were in high spirits because of the release of the 8 defendants. The demonstrators chanted, "Common defense for the Pendleton 14," "Drop the charges--right now!" "Smach the Klan, bust the Corps, Pendleton 14 ain't takin' anymore." Several people passing by joined in the marching and chanting. A picket line at Camp Pendleton itself is planned for the near future.

Public sentiment against the Klan and against the unjust charges facing the Black Marines was the reason behind the release of the defendants. Their release is a real victory even though the charges are still being presses. The struggle will continue to force the military to drop charges--right now!