This story was published between issues of the newspaper on The Virginia Defender Facebook page. Reproduced here for accessibility and archival purposes.

Sept. 12, 2024 — “After a weeklong trial that touched on complicated issues of national security, foreign relations and the limits of the First Amendment, a panel of eight men and four women found three members of the St. Petersburg-based African activist group guilty of conspiring to act as unregistered Russian agents. But the jury found the group not guilty of the more serious charge of acting as agents of a foreign government.”

That’s how the Tampa Bay Times began their report on the verdict delivered today in the trial of the Uhuru 3. The three are Omali Yeshitela, the longtime chairman of the African People’s Socialist Party; and white supporters Penny Hess, chair of the African People’s Solidarity Committee, and Jesse Nevel, chair of the Uhuru Solidarity Movement.

The charge of which they were convicted carries a sentence of five years. The more serious charge could have gotten them another 10. No sentencing date has been set and the defense has vowed to appeal today’s verdict.

Note: The jury that delivered the verdict had no Black members.

Watch the Uhuru 3’s summation of the trial and today’s verdict here.