Hugo Pinell
Encyclopedia
Hugo "Yogi Bear" Pinell (born 1945) is a Nicaraguan
prisoner currently incarcerated at Pelican Bay State Prison
in California
.
Despite maintaining then and now that he is innocent, Pinell, after being repeatedly told he would face the death penalty if he did not confess, eventually pled guilty in 1965, at the age of 19, to assault
in connection with the kidnapping
and rape
of a young woman in San Francisco:
While Pinell was imprisoned in San Quentin State Prison
he made contact with revolutionary prisoners such as George Jackson
, one of the Soledad Brothers
and W.L. Nolen. Both men were African-Americans who, in jail, turned away from a life focused on crime to a life focused on the ideas of social revolution
. They both lead a movement to convert their fellow prisoners to the same ideology. Along with their fellow prisoners, they fought for an end to guard brutality and racism, and for prisoner unity.
Pinell has also spent time at the well-known Folsom Prison.
. According to the state of California, lawyer-activist Stephen Bingham had smuggled a pistol concealed in a tape recorder to Jackson, who was housed in San Quentin's Adjustment Center at the time, awaiting trial for the murder of a prison guard. On August 21, 1971, Jackson used the pistol, an Astra 9-mm semi-automatic, to take over his tier in the Adjustment Center. In his failed escape attempt, six people were killed, including three prison guards, two prisoners, and Jackson himself.
The prison guards were Jere Graham, Frank DeLeon and Paul Krasnes. Witnesses allege that Graham was the first victim, shot in the back of the head execution-style after Jackson commented about the pistol, "Let's see if this thing works." DeLeon and Krasenes were beaten, stabbed and had their throats cut, dying after a half-an-hour from loss of blood. Two other guards were similarly treated, and they nearly bled to death before being rescued when prison guards shot their way into the Adjustment Center. In addition to the guards, two prisoners who had been delivering food to the Center were murdered in the uprising. They were allegedly hogtied with bed-sheets and stabbed to death.
At the end of the roughly 30 minute rebellion, guards had killed George Jackson, and two other prisoners and three guards were dead. Of the remaining prisoners in the unit, six of them, including Pinell, were put on trial for murder and conspiracy. They were known as The San Quentin Six
. Three of them were acquitted of all charges, and three were found guilty of various charges. Pinell was convicted of assault on a guard. Although Pinell was convicted of assault, and another of the San Quentin Six had a murder conviction, only Pinell remains imprisoned. By 1998, all of the men except Pinell had been set free. Since 1990, Pinell has been living in the Security Housing Unit at Pelican Bay State Prison
, in Crescent City, CA. Pinell has lost nine bids for parole. He will next be eligible for parole in 2024.
Nicaraguan
Nicaraguans are people inhabiting in, originating or having significant heritage from Nicaragua. Most Nicaraguans live in Nicaragua, although there is also a significant Nicaraguan diaspora, particularly in Costa Rica and the United States with smaller communities in other countries around the world...
prisoner currently incarcerated at Pelican Bay State Prison
Pelican Bay State Prison
Pelican Bay State Prison is a supermax California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation state prison near Crescent City in unincorporated Del Norte County, California. The facility is explicitly designed to keep California’s alleged “worst of the worst” prisoners in long-term solitary...
in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
Despite maintaining then and now that he is innocent, Pinell, after being repeatedly told he would face the death penalty if he did not confess, eventually pled guilty in 1965, at the age of 19, to assault
Assault
In law, assault is a crime causing a victim to fear violence. The term is often confused with battery, which involves physical contact. The specific meaning of assault varies between countries, but can refer to an act that causes another to apprehend immediate and personal violence, or in the more...
in connection with the kidnapping
Kidnapping
In criminal law, kidnapping is the taking away or transportation of a person against that person's will, usually to hold the person in false imprisonment, a confinement without legal authority...
and rape
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
of a young woman in San Francisco:
"In 1964, a white woman accused me of rape, assault and kidnap. I was 19 years old. I turned myself into the authorities to clarify the charges against me which I knew to be falsified. The deputies beat me several times because the alleged victim was white, and the Public Defender and the Judge influenced my mother into believing that I would be sentenced to death unless I pled guilty. At their insistence and despite my innocence, I pled guilty to the charge of rape, with the understanding that I would be eligible for parole after 6 months. When I arrived at the California Department of Corrections, I was informed that I had been sentenced to three years to life."
While Pinell was imprisoned in San Quentin State Prison
San Quentin State Prison
San Quentin State Prison is a California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation state prison for men in unincorporated San Quentin, Marin County, California, United States. Opened in July 1852, it is the oldest prison in the state. California's only death row for male inmates, the largest...
he made contact with revolutionary prisoners such as George Jackson
George Jackson (Black Panther)
George Lester Jackson was an American convict who became a left-wing activist, Marxist, author, a member of the Black Panther Party, and co-founder of the Black Guerrilla Family prison gang...
, one of the Soledad Brothers
Soledad Brothers
The Soledad Brothers were an American garage rock trio from Maumee, Ohio. Taking strong influence from blues rock, the band consisted of Ben Swank on drums, Johnny Walker on guitar and vocals, and Oliver Henry on sax and guitar...
and W.L. Nolen. Both men were African-Americans who, in jail, turned away from a life focused on crime to a life focused on the ideas of social revolution
Social revolution
The term social revolution may have different connotations depending on the speaker.In the Trotskyist movement, the term "social revolution" refers to an upheaval in which existing property relations are smashed...
. They both lead a movement to convert their fellow prisoners to the same ideology. Along with their fellow prisoners, they fought for an end to guard brutality and racism, and for prisoner unity.
Pinell has also spent time at the well-known Folsom Prison.
San Quentin Six
On August 21, 1971, there was a prisoner uprising in Pinell's housing unit at San Quentin, led by George JacksonGeorge Jackson
- People :* George Jackson , American MLB player from 1911–1913* George Jackson , U.S. Black Panther, prisoner, and author* George Jackson , English botanist...
. According to the state of California, lawyer-activist Stephen Bingham had smuggled a pistol concealed in a tape recorder to Jackson, who was housed in San Quentin's Adjustment Center at the time, awaiting trial for the murder of a prison guard. On August 21, 1971, Jackson used the pistol, an Astra 9-mm semi-automatic, to take over his tier in the Adjustment Center. In his failed escape attempt, six people were killed, including three prison guards, two prisoners, and Jackson himself.
The prison guards were Jere Graham, Frank DeLeon and Paul Krasnes. Witnesses allege that Graham was the first victim, shot in the back of the head execution-style after Jackson commented about the pistol, "Let's see if this thing works." DeLeon and Krasenes were beaten, stabbed and had their throats cut, dying after a half-an-hour from loss of blood. Two other guards were similarly treated, and they nearly bled to death before being rescued when prison guards shot their way into the Adjustment Center. In addition to the guards, two prisoners who had been delivering food to the Center were murdered in the uprising. They were allegedly hogtied with bed-sheets and stabbed to death.
At the end of the roughly 30 minute rebellion, guards had killed George Jackson, and two other prisoners and three guards were dead. Of the remaining prisoners in the unit, six of them, including Pinell, were put on trial for murder and conspiracy. They were known as The San Quentin Six
San Quentin Six
The San Quentin Six were a group of six inmates at San Quentin State Prison in California who were accused of participating in an August 21, 1971 escape attempt that left six people dead, including George Jackson, founder of the Black Guerrilla Family prison gang...
. Three of them were acquitted of all charges, and three were found guilty of various charges. Pinell was convicted of assault on a guard. Although Pinell was convicted of assault, and another of the San Quentin Six had a murder conviction, only Pinell remains imprisoned. By 1998, all of the men except Pinell had been set free. Since 1990, Pinell has been living in the Security Housing Unit at Pelican Bay State Prison
Pelican Bay State Prison
Pelican Bay State Prison is a supermax California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation state prison near Crescent City in unincorporated Del Norte County, California. The facility is explicitly designed to keep California’s alleged “worst of the worst” prisoners in long-term solitary...
, in Crescent City, CA. Pinell has lost nine bids for parole. He will next be eligible for parole in 2024.
External links
- Document related to his 1965 conviction; http://online.ceb.com/calcases/CA2/232CA2d284.htm