Well known civil rights lawyer Sanford M. Katz, has passed at age 75 in Manhattan New York on October 6^th. Sanford M. Katz was part of the defense team that won a full acquittal in the celebrated Panther 21 conspiracy trial in 1971.

The Panther 21 case was the case that involved the mother of hip-hop and rap legend Tupac Shakur. Afeni Shakur was incarcerated while she was pregnant with the future hip-hop / rap icon Tupac Shakur (2Pac).

Afeni was acquitted of 156 counts against her and other members of the Black Panther Party in the bomb conspiracy trial.

The 1971 trial of Afeni Shakur and 20 other leading Black Panthers charged with plotting to carry out bombings around New York City was the most publicized case against the Black Panther Party for Self Defense, founded in 1966 by Bobby Seale and Huey Newton in Oakland, California.

That trial lasted 25 months. Sanford M. Katz was part of that defense team plus he has done a lot of outstanding and devoted work in the field of civil rights. - R.I.P.