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UNITED STATES GO®ERNMENT ” Memorandum 72 Mr. WC, sutttval? pare: 10/2/69 2 1 - Mr. DeLoach : 1 - Mr. Sullivan oO 1 - Mr. Bishop SUBJECT: BLACK PANTHER PARTY —— 1 - Mr. Rosen CHARLOTTE DIVISION 1 - RACIAL MATTERS 1 - This memorandum recommends that the Special Agent in Charge (SAC) of our Charlotte Office be authorized to furnish the Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) in Charlotte, North Carolina, an affidavit | Stating that the FBI had no electronic surveillances on three members of a Charlotte black extremist group or on two addresses where they resided. On 5/27/69 George Benjamin Hairston and James Curtis Covington, ,» 1969, Michael Grant Lane’ re arrested by agents 0 e Alcohol, Tobacco an Firearms Division (ATFD) of the United States Treasury Department and local authorities. Hairston and Covington were arrested for violation of gun control laws and Laney was arrested for interfering and threatening a Federal officer. AUSA Joseph Cruciani has requested that the SAC of our Charlotte Office furnish an affidavit indicating that the FBI had noy/) electronic surveillances on the individuals or two residences involved: Cruciani indicated that he would present the affidavit in court atime of trial which is scheduled for 10/8/69. s In addition to the above-mentioned criminal action, the defense attorney has previously brought a. civil suit against the ATFD, local authorities, and the FBI charging harassment of his defendants in violation of their civil rights in connection with the arrests and the subsequent search of one of the defendants' residences, This civil action is still pending. We previously advised the Civil, Internal Security, and Criminal Divisions of the Department that no Agent of the FBI took part in the arrests_and subsequent search as charged in the eivil tion. » ivil action ¥ REC- 51 JOT~lOS 906 -f- Go AUSA Cruciani b' eves defense action in this case involving electronic surveillance disclosure is strictly a stalling tactic in an effort to further delay the trials, Cruciani stated that the black extremists involved are dangerous and should be tried immediately. Acs wueest eeoens wna CSoveR aR a ne