Marshall "Eddie" Conway

Marshall "Eddie" Conway (April 23, 1946 – February 13, 2023) was a leading member of the Baltimore chapter of the Black Panther Party. He was convicted in 1971 for the murder of a police officer. Conway and his supporters considered him a political prisoner. After approximately 44 years of imprisonment, Conway was released on parole in 2014 after an appellate court ruled that his jury had been given improper instructions.

Background Eddie Conway was born in Baltimore.

BPD shooting On the night of April 21, 1970, Baltimore police officers Donald Sager and Stanley Sierakowski were on a domestic disturbance call when they were shot by three assailants who fired at least eight rounds. Sager was killed and Sierakowski was critically wounded. About an hour later, Officers James Welsh and Roger Nolan arrested two men near the scene of the shooting, based on information they received over police radio. The men were Jackie Powell and Jack Ivory Johnson, and two pistols were found near the location where they were hiding. The police determined that these two men were affiliated with the Baltimore chapter of the Black Panther Party or some of its members.

According to Nolan, he briefly chased a black man on foot and tried to make contact with immediately after contact with the two men. The man then fired several shots at Nolan and escaped. Nolan stated that he had previously seen this man on his assigned beat and could recognize him, but he did not know his name. Conway also requested that his cellmate, attorney Arthur Turco, be appointed to represent him. Turco requested bail to be able to do so, but both of these requests were denied. Conway fired two lawyers, the first (Nelson Kandel) over trial strategy differences and the second one that was appointed to represent him and who Conway refused to cooperate with. According to court testimony, Johnson stated he fired into the air because "I didn't have the heart to kill the pig."

The state's case was based partially on photo identification by Nolan. To strengthen its case, the state called Charles Reynolds, a known jailhouse informant. He testified that while he shared a cell with Conway before the trial, Conway confessed to him. However, Conway knew that Reynolds was a known informant and adamantly protested when Reynolds was placed in his cell.

The ballistic evidence connecting the weapons to the murders played a significant role in the trial. The jury convicted Conway of the murder, and both he and Powell were sentenced to life in prison. Both men appealed but the appellate court upheld the convictions. While incarcerated, Conway tried to organize prison unions and organized a prison library. that was released on April 4, 2011.

Release After an appellate court ruled that his jury had been given improper instructions, state prosecutors agreed to change his life sentence to time served and probation, and Conway was released from prison on March 4, 2014, after having served 43 years and 11 months. and hosted the show Rattling the Bars.

Conway died on February 13, 2023, at the age of 76.