Newly released recordings have revealed that the father of the Georgia district attorney prosecuting Donald Trump was a prominent member of the Black Panther Party and held strong anti-police sentiments.
John C. Floyd III, father of Fani Willis, the Fulton County district attorney, expressed his belief that police were the "enemy" and referred to them as an "occupying army" causing trouble in his native Los Angeles during the 1960s. Floyd also made controversial statements about a white politician of the time and expressed his belief in conspiracy theories surrounding the assassination of Malcolm X by the CIA.
Floyd's close relationship with his daughter, who has brought a high-profile anti-racketeering case against Trump and others, has come under scrutiny due to his past involvement with the Black Panthers. However, Willis has defended her father, stating that he taught her the values of treating every person with dignity and respect, regardless of their race, religion, or socioeconomic status.
Until now, little was known about Floyd's involvement with the Black Panthers, but it has now been revealed that he was a founding member and chairman of the Black Panther Political Party in Los Angeles in 1967. Floyd later became a defense attorney after parting ways with the Panthers in the early 1970s. In an interview with California State University's Tom & Ethel Bradley Center, Floyd mentioned his friendship with Martin Luther King Jr. during his time with the Black Panthers.
Reflecting on his upbringing in Inglewood, Los Angeles, Floyd described how he and other African-Americans never sought help from the police, despite the high crime rates in their community. He viewed the LAPD as an enemy and believed they were not there to assist them. Floyd's involvement with the Black Panthers also led to tensions with other black groups in Los Angeles, and he referred to a prominent white politician as a "Texas cracker," expressing his anger at the politician's influence in the black community.
In 1967, Floyd helped establish the Black Panther Political Party, which embraced black nationalism and considered Malcolm X their patron saint. Floyd's disillusionment with the Democratic party led him to support the BPPP's aim of political power for the black community. Floyd's interviews also revealed his suspicions about the assassination of Malcolm X, suggesting that the CIA and J. Edgar Hoover were involved in suppressing the rise of a black Messiah.
Floyd's association with Huey P. Newton, the leader of the more militant Black Panther Party, further highlights his involvement in the black power movement. Floyd expressed admiration for Malcolm X and his impact on the civil rights movement, questioning the circumstances surrounding his assassination. He also recounted his last encounter with Martin Luther King Jr., who told him, "The uncommitted life is not worth living."
Fani Willis, born in 1971, was raised by her father in Inglewood before moving to Washington when she was in the first grade. She has described her father as a "single dad," and it is unclear what happened to her mother. Willis has followed in her father's footsteps and become a criminal defense attorney, with her father's influence playing a significant role in her career choice.
Floyd also mentioned in his interviews that he dated civil rights activist Angela Davis in the late 1960s. Davis, a member of the Communist Party USA, gained notoriety for her involvement in the armed seizure of a courthouse in Marin County, California. She was placed on the FBI's Most Wanted list and faced accusations of kidnappings and murders. Davis was eventually acquitted and became a prominent advocate for prison reform.
Despite the revelations about Floyd's past, Willis remains steadfast in her admiration for her father and the values he instilled in her. She believes in treating every person with dignity and respect, regardless of their background.
Willis's ongoing case against Trump and others involved in alleged election interference in Georgia has garnered significant attention, and her father's past associations have added another layer of complexity to the proceedings.
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