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Veronza Leon Curtis Bowers Jr. (born February 4, 1946^[1]) is a former member of the Black Panther Party. He was sentenced to life imprisonment on the charge of first degree murder of U.S. park ranger Kenneth Patrick at Point Reyes National Seashore in 1973. He was incarcerated at a federal correctional institution in North Carolina.^[1] He was released on May 7, 2024.^[2]

Early life

Veronza Bowers, Jr. was raised in McAlester, Oklahoma, and later Omaha, Nebraska. His father, Veronza Bowers, Sr. was a sergeant in the United States Army.Patterson, Michael Robert (24 April 2023). "Veronza Bowers Sr. - Sergeant, United States Army". Arlington National Cemetery. Retrieved 29 April 2023.</ref> In 1963, Bowers, Jr. began his military service in the United States Navy Reserve before graduating Omaha South High School in 1964. Bowers, Jr. went active duty in 1966 and was discharged in 1967.^[1]^[3]

In 1968, the Black Panther Party appointed Eddie Bolden to start a chapter of the organization in Omaha, Nebraska. Soon after, Bolden recruited Bowers, Jr. to help develop the new chapter.^[4] When Bowers relocated to California, he took on leadership of the Richmond chapter of the Party.^[5]

Incarceration

Bowers was eligible for mandatory parole after 30 years. In February 2005, 10 months after he served 30 years in prison, his parole was postponed to give the victim's relatives a chance to express their opposition at a new parole hearing.^[6] Bowers was denied parole in October 2005^[7] and December 2011.^[8] Bowers has maintained his innocence during his entire 46 years of imprisonment, and through all parole hearings. The evidence that convicted him was based solely off of the testimony of two government informants, both of whom received a reduction in their sentences, and one of whom received $10,000.^[1]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "Veronza Bowers, Jr: 47 Years of Justice Denied". The Final Straw Radio Podcast. 18 April 2021. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
^ "Inmate Locator". www.bop.gov. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
^ "National Resolutions" (PDF). Veterans for Peace. pp. 16–17.
^ Howard, Ashley M. (2006). "Then the burning began: Omaha, riots, and the growth of black radicalism, 1966-1969" (MA thesis). University of Nebraska at Omaha. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
^ "VERONZA BOWERS: Black Political Prisoner". Can't Jail the Spirit: Political Prisoners in the U.S., A Collection of Biographies (fourth ed.). Committee to End the Marion Lockdown (CEML). March 1998. pp. 74–75.
^ Fimrite, Peter (23 February 2005). "Park ranger killer's parole is delayed". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
^ Stephens, Joe (26 May 2009). "Allegations of Impropriety Surround the Little-Known U.S. Parole Commission". Washington Post. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
^ "U.S. Court of Appeals Reverses Prisoner's Parole Board Suit". Prison Legal News. 13 November 2015. Retrieved 19 February 2024.

External links

Veronza Bowers, Jr.

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[:0-1] "Veronza Bowers, Jr: 47 Years of Justice Denied". The Final Straw Radio Podcast. 18 April 2021. Retrieved 29 April 2023.

[2] "Inmate Locator". www.bop.gov. Retrieved 29 April 2023.

[3] "National Resolutions" (PDF). Veterans for Peace. pp. 16–17.

[4] Howard, Ashley M. (2006). "Then the burning began: Omaha, riots, and the growth of black radicalism, 1966-1969" (MA thesis). University of Nebraska at Omaha. Retrieved 19 February 2024.

[5] "VERONZA BOWERS: Black Political Prisoner". Can't Jail the Spirit: Political Prisoners in the U.S., A Collection of Biographies (fourth ed.). Committee to End the Marion Lockdown (CEML). March 1998. pp. 74–75.

[sfchron-6] Fimrite, Peter (23 February 2005). "Park ranger killer's parole is delayed". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 19 February 2024.

[7] Stephens, Joe (26 May 2009). "Allegations of Impropriety Surround the Little-Known U.S. Parole Commission". Washington Post. Retrieved 19 February 2024.

[8] "U.S. Court of Appeals Reverses Prisoner's Parole Board Suit". Prison Legal News. 13 November 2015. Retrieved 19 February 2024.

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{Short description|American convicted murderer}}
+{{Short description|Black Panther Party member and murderer}}
-{{Cleanup bare URLs|date=August 2022}}
+{{use dmy dates |date=February 2024}}
-'''Veronza Leon Curtis Bowers Jr.''' (February 4, 1946<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Veronza Bowers, Jr. Founder of All-Faith Meditation, a group devoted to healing meditation using the Japanese shakuhachi flute. |url=https://veronza.org/ |access-date=2023-04-29 |website=veronza.org}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Veronza Bowers, Jr: 47 Years of Justice Denied {{!}} The Final Straw Radio Podcast |url=https://thefinalstrawradio.noblogs.org/post/2021/04/18/veronza-bowers-jr-47-years-of-justice-denied/ |access-date=2023-04-29 |language=en-US}}</ref>) is a former member of the [[Black Panther Party]]. He was sentenced to [[life imprisonment]] on the charge of [[first degree murder]] of U.S. [[park ranger]] Kenneth Patrick at [[Point Reyes National Seashore]] in 1973. He is currently incarcerated in a [[Federal Correctional Complex, Butner|Federal correctional institution]] in North Carolina.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Inmate Locator |url=https://www.bop.gov/inmateloc/ |access-date=2023-04-29 |website=www.bop.gov}}</ref>
+'''Veronza Leon Curtis Bowers Jr.''' (born February 4, 1946<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Veronza Bowers, Jr: 47 Years of Justice Denied |website=The Final Straw Radio Podcast |date=18 April 2021 |url=https://thefinalstrawradio.noblogs.org/post/2021/04/18/veronza-bowers-jr-47-years-of-justice-denied/ |access-date=2023-04-29 |language=en-US}}</ref>) is a former member of the [[Black Panther Party]]. He was sentenced to [[life imprisonment]] on the charge of [[first degree murder]] of U.S. [[park ranger]] Kenneth Patrick at [[Point Reyes National Seashore]] in 1973. He was incarcerated at a [[Federal Correctional Complex, Butner|federal correctional institution]] in North Carolina.<ref name=":0" /> He was released on May 7, 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Inmate Locator |url=https://www.bop.gov/inmateloc/ |access-date=2023-04-29 |website=www.bop.gov}}</ref>
-==Early Life==
+==Early life==
-Veronza Bowers, Jr. was raised in McAlester, Oklahoma and later Omaha, Nebraska. His father, Veronza Bowers, Sr. was a sergeant in the United States Army.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Patterson |first=Michael Robert |date=2023-04-24 |title=Veronza Bowers Sr. - Sergeant, United States Army |url=https://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/veronza-bowers.htm |access-date=2023-04-29 |website=Arlington National Cemetery |language=en-US}}</ref> In 1963, Bowers, Jr. began his military service in the United States Navy Reserve before graduating Omaha South High School in 1964. Bowers, Jr. went active duty in 1966 and was discharged in 1967.<ref name=":0" />
+Veronza Bowers, Jr. was raised in [[McAlester, Oklahoma]], and later [[Omaha, Nebraska]]. His father, Veronza Bowers, Sr. was a sergeant in the United States Army.{{Cite web |last=Patterson |first=Michael Robert |date=2023-04-24 |title=Veronza Bowers Sr. - Sergeant, United States Army |url=https://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/veronza-bowers.htm |access-date=2023-04-29 |website=Arlington National Cemetery |language=en-US}}</ref> In 1963, Bowers, Jr. began his military service in the United States Navy Reserve before graduating Omaha South High School in 1964. Bowers, Jr. went active duty in 1966 and was discharged in 1967.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{cite web |website=Veterans for Peace |title=National Resolutions |url=https://www.veteransforpeace.org/files/1214/5590/0016/16.02.18.VFPMasterIndex.pdf |pages=16–17}}</ref>
+In 1968, the Black Panther Party appointed Eddie Bolden to start a chapter of the organization in Omaha, Nebraska. Soon after, Bolden recruited Bowers, Jr. to help develop the new chapter.<ref>{{cite thesis |last=Howard |first=Ashley M. |title="Then the burning began: Omaha, riots, and the growth of black radicalism, 1966-1969" |date=2006 |url=https://digitalcommons.unomaha.edu/studentwork/552 |publisher=University of Nebraska at Omaha |degree=MA |access-date=19 February 2024}}</ref> When Bowers relocated to California, he took on leadership of the Richmond chapter of the Party.<ref>{{Cite book |publisher=Committee to End the Marion Lockdown (CEML) |url=http://archive.org/details/cant-jail-the-spirit-4 |title=Can't Jail the Spirit: Political Prisoners in the U.S., A Collection of Biographies |date=March 1998 |edition=fourth |pages=74–75 |chapter=VERONZA BOWERS: Black Political Prisoner}}</ref>
-In 1968, the Black Panther Party appointed Eddie Bolden to start a chapter of the organization in Omaha, Nebraska. Soon after, Bolden recruited Bowers, Jr. to help develop the new chapter.<ref>Howard, Ashley M., "Then the burning began: Omaha, riots, and the growth of black radicalism, 1966-1969" (2006). Student Work. 552. <nowiki>https://digitalcommons.unomaha.edu/studentwork/552</nowiki></ref> When Bowers relocated to California, he took on leadership of the Richmond chapter of the Party.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Committee to End the Marion Lockdown (CEML) |url=http://archive.org/details/cant-jail-the-spirit-4 |title=Can't Jail the Spirit: Political Prisoners in the U.S., A Collection of Biographies |date=1998}}</ref>
 ==Incarceration==
-Bowers was eligible for mandatory parole after 30 years. In February 2005, 10 months after he served 30 years in prison, his parole was postponed to give the victim's relatives a chance to express their opposition at a new parole hearing.<ref name=sfchron>{{Cite web|url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/02/23/BAGFVBFL2S1.DTL|title=Park ranger killer's parole is delayed|publisher=[[San Francisco Chronicle]]|date=2005-02-23|access-date=2009-10-23|author=Peter Fimrite}}</ref> Bowers was denied parole in October 2005 and December 2011.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.prisonlegalnews.org/news/2015/nov/13/us-court-appeals-reverses-prisoners-parole-board-suit/|title = U.S. Court of Appeals Reverses Prisoner's Parole Board Suit &#124; Prison Legal News}}</ref> Bowers has maintained his innocence during his entire 46 years of imprisonment, and through all parole hearings. The evidence that convicted him was based solely off of the testimony of two government informants, both of whom received a reduction in their sentences, and one of whom received $10,000.<ref>http://veronza.org/</ref>
+Bowers was eligible for mandatory parole after 30 years. In February 2005, 10 months after he served 30 years in prison, his parole was postponed to give the victim's relatives a chance to express their opposition at a new parole hearing.<ref name=sfchron>{{Cite web|url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/02/23/BAGFVBFL2S1.DTL|title=Park ranger killer's parole is delayed|publisher=[[San Francisco Chronicle]]|date=2005-02-23|access-date=19 February 2024|first=Peter |last=Fimrite}}</ref> Bowers was denied parole in October 2005<ref>{{cite news|title=Allegations of Impropriety Surround the Little-Known U.S. Parole Commission |newspaper=Washington Post |date=26 May 2009 |first=Joe |last=Stephens |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/25/AR2009052502357.html |access-date=19 February 2024}}</ref> and December 2011.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.prisonlegalnews.org/news/2015/nov/13/us-court-appeals-reverses-prisoners-parole-board-suit/|title = U.S. Court of Appeals Reverses Prisoner's Parole Board Suit |website=Prison Legal News |date=November 13, 2015 |access-date=19 February 2024}}</ref> Bowers has maintained his innocence during his entire 46 years of imprisonment, and through all parole hearings. The evidence that convicted him was based solely off of the testimony of two government informants, both of whom received a reduction in their sentences, and one of whom received $10,000.<ref name=":0"/>
 ==References==
@@ Line 18: / Line 20: @@
 {{DEFAULTSORT:Bowers, Veronza Jr.}}
+[[Category:1946 births]]
 [[Category:Living people]]
-[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]
+[[Category:People from McAlester, Oklahoma]]
 [[Category:Members of the Black Panther Party]]
-{{crime-stub}}
-{{US-crime-bio-stub}}
 [[Category:American prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment]]
 [[Category:American people convicted of murdering police officers]]
 [[Category:People convicted of murder by the United States federal government]]
 [[Category:Prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment by the United States federal government]]
+{{US-crime-bio-stub}}