(미국) 감옥 독방에서 43년 보내고 석방된 미국인

출처: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-35617935

Albert Woodfox freed after 43 years in US solitary prison 알버트 우드폭스 미국 감옥독방에서 43년 복역한 후 석방되다

• 21 minutes ago

Albert Woodfox leaves prison after 43 years in solitary confinement  (밝읗 나르: 여기의 solitary confinement는 solitary prison과 동일한 의미)

The longest-serving prisoner to be held in solitary confinement in US history, Albert Woodfox, has walked free in Louisiana after 43 years. 미국 역사에서 최장기 복역수인 알버트 우드폭스는 43년을 복역한 후 루이지아니 교도소에서 석방되어 걸어나왔다

Woodfox was part of the group known as the "Angola Three", after the prison where they spent years in confinement. 우드폭스는 "앙골라 쓰리"라고 알려진 조직의 일원이었다.

He had been there since April 1972 for the murder of a prison guard. 이 사람은 간수를 살인했다는 죄목으로 1972년부터 그 교도소에 수감되었다.

Maintaining his innocence in the death of Brent Miller, Woodfox, 69, was finally freed after accepting the lesser charge of manslaughter. 자신의 결백을 우기면서 우드폭스, 69세,는 마침내 살인에 대한 경감된 기소를 수용하면서 석방되었다.

The plea bargain was negotiated with state prosecutors. 이 사람을 위한 양형거래가 본인과 주검찰 사이에 협상을 통해 성사되었다. (밝은 하늘: 사법거래 혹은 양형거래는 피고인이 유죄를 인정하면 감형해준다는 피고와 검찰 사이의 합의)

Twice in decades of legal battles, his murder conviction was thrown out of court, yet Louisiana state prosecutors were preparing to try him a third time. 수 십년간 두 차례의 법정 싸움, 그에 대한 살인혐의는 기각되었으나, 여전히 루이지아나 주검사들은 세번째로 그를 잡아넣으려고 준비하고 있었다.

He finally agreed to plead no contest to lesser charges in exchange for freedom but insisted this was not an admission of guilt. 

"Although I was looking forward to proving my innocence at a new trial, concerns about my health and my age have caused me to resolve this case now and obtain my release with this no contest plea to lesser charges," he said in a statement on Friday.

"I hope the events of today will bring closure to many."

What's it like to spend decades in solitary confinement?

How do you survive solitary confinement?

---

Before driving off from Feliciana Parish Detention Center, in St Francisville, with his brother, Woodfox told media he wanted to visit his mother's gravesite.

She died while he was in prison and Woodfox said he had not been allowed to go to the funeral.

At the time of Mr Miller's death, Woodfox was in Louisiana's notorious Angola prison for armed robbery and assault.

He was accused of grabbing the guard from behind while others stabbed him with a lawnmower blade and a hand-sharpened prison knife.

Woodfox was placed in solitary and ordered to be kept on "extended lockdown" every 90 days for decades.

Image copyrightReuters

Image captionWoodfox spoke to media after being released from the West Feliciana Parish Jail

His lawyers say he was confined to his cell for 23 hours a day.

The other members of the "Angola Three", Robert King and Herman Wallace, were released in 2001 and 2013 respectively.

Wallace, also convicted over Mr Miller's murder, died soon after his release pending a new trial. King's conviction was overturned.

Woodfox and Wallace were involved with the Black Panthers, a militant black rights movement formed in 1966 for self-defence against police brutality and racism.