NEW BLACK PANTHER PARTY OFFICIAL STATEMENT
REGARDING MEGAN WILLIAMS “RECANTMENT”

On Wednesday Oct. 21st, 2009 a Press Conference was held in Columbus Ohio at Attorney Bryon Potts Office to announce that Megan Williams had recanted her account of a 6-day kidnapping, torture and rape, now claiming it never happened.  It should be noted that Megan Williams was suspiciously absent from this press conference and that an Attorney cannot legally recant on behalf of a client. Megan Williams was not only not present, further, Atty. Potts has no signed documentation or video supporting Williams “recantment” and admittedly has very little knowledge of the original case, having not reviewed any of the evidence.

The New Black Panther Party will take this opportunity to address public concerns, media inquires and reports and recap the facts of the original case.

RECAP CASE FACTS

*In September of 2007 Megan Williams was 20 yrs old.

*A passerby heard screams from a shed outside of a trailer at Big Creek in Logan County, W. VA.

*Logan County Sheriff’s Deputies were informed by an anonymous tip that led State Police to the location where Megan Williams was found and subsequently rescued on September 8th, 2007.

*This case was first reported in the press around Sept. 11th, 2007 and by Sept. 15 it was National news.

*Megan Williams was found battered and bruised with visible wounds. Megan’s initial account given to the Sheriff’s recalled a 6 day long ordeal of being kidnapped, tortured, sexually assaulted by multiple male & female assailants, made to drink urine and eat human, dog & rat feces.   The shed Megan Williams was found in by the Sheriff’s department, was on the property of Frankie Brewster, who along with 6 others was later arrested, charged, gave statements as to their guilt and subsequently plead guilty and currently, 6 out of 7 are currently serving prison time.  Frankie Brewster from jail (AP Oct. 23) has once again affirmed her guilt and participation in this heinous act.

ATTY. SHABAZZ or NBPP MANIPULATED MEGAN WILLIAMS?!?

It has been asserted by some, most notably Rev. Lloyd Hill of Liberty Missionary Baptist (WV Gazette 10/21), and at least in one published quote by Attorney Potts that Megan Williams was manipulated by “others, including Malik Shabazz”. This statement is a blatant lie and could not be further from reality. Both Atty. Malik Shabazz acting as founder of Black Lawyers for Justice and Chairman of the New Black Panther Party had no hand in concocting the original account, persuading or dissuading Megan or the Williams family in any regard. Atty. Shabazz acted as an adviser on legal matters but was not nor has ever been Megan or the Williams family Attorney.

The New Black Panther Party and Black Lawyers for Justice both as organizations advocate for victims of hate crimes, police brutality, natural disasters, random violence as well as inequities in housing and health care.  The NBPP and Atty. Malik Shabazz only became familiar with the Megan Williams case as it was reported in the media AFTER THE FACT and as hundreds of calls and emails poured in urging us to get involved and offer assistance to the victim of this tragic situation. This timeline of when the story first broke and when our involvement began makes it physically impossible for the initial account to be concocted by either Atty. Shabazz or the NBPP.

Atty. Shabazz responding to overwhelming public concern, answered the call and originally met with the adopted parents of Megan, Carmen and Matthew Williams. Both Atty. Shabazz’s involvement and the involvement of the NBPP was only to provide assistance & safety to the family and victim, apply pressure on local authorities to ensure this case was investigated thoroughly and prosecuted properly, rally the community in support of the victim and family and to raise awareness around hate crimes and racially motivated violence. In addition, the NBPP provided security to the family besieged by threats from White Supremacists and the overall community from intimidation by average white citizens of W. VA who did not want any public scrutiny. The NBPP helped the Black Community in W. VA deal with the fear tactics and pressure that was being applied in light of the media frenzy.

ATTY. SHABAZZ or NBPP FINANCIALLY BENEFITED FROM MEGAN WILLIAMS?!?

It has also been asserted by some that either the NBPP as an organization or Atty. Shabazz himself personally benefitted financially from this situation and subsequent fundraising efforts. Once again, this is a complete misrepresentation of the truth and baseless in facts.  After arriving in W. VA at our own personal expense, we began to organize Rallies and Meeting around the case. We publicly met at churches, parks and official buildings and any monies raised went directly to the Williams family under the care of Carmen Williams. After several events, the approximate total tally of $20,000 was raised and turned over to the family.  As the case developed, Megan Williams was contacted by TV Talk Show host Montel Williams (no relation) and invited to be a guest and share her story. As customary for Montel, he assisted the victim, Megan Williams, by providing her with scholarships, training and a laptop computer. To our knowledge, Ms. Williams was unable to complete her training and thusly could not take advantage of the scholarship.  There are many answers as to the financial accounting of money raised on behalf of Megan Williams. Unfortunately, the person best suited and in a position to answer those questions was Carmen Williams herself. Tragically, Carmen Williams unexpectedly passed away in June 2009. What is clear is that any money raised went directly to the family and none of the money raised went to the benefit of Atty. Shabazz personally or Black Lawyers for Justice or NBPP as an organization.

REV. AL SHARPTON INVOLVEMENT IN MEGAN WILLIAMS CASE?!?

Rev. Al Sharpton’s involvement in this case was minimal at best. In December 1997, several months AFTER the initial story broke, Rev. Sharpton attended a rally, and joined with us and others in asking the prosecutor to pursue hate crime charges. At this time, Rev. Sharpton contributed $1,000 of his own personal money as a Christmas Gift to provide for Megan Williams for the Holidays. In the duration, Rev. Sharpton discussed the case on his Nationally Syndicated radio show and featured Atty. Shabazz as a guest to provide updates. At no time did Rev. Sharpton serve as an organizer or adviser on behalf of Megan or the Williams family. Any suggestion that Rev. Al Sharpton had any hand in fabricating Megan Williams story or using this situation for his own gain are FALSE.  Any comparison’s of this case and Rev. Sharpton’s involvement to the Tawana Brawley case are unfair, not based in reality and more evidence of the long standing persecution of conservative white right-wing racists against any and all Black Leadership who fight and work for Justice against oppression in this country.

SUMMARY

Logan County Prosecutor Brian Abraham who originally prosecuted this case, points to the incriminatory testimony and admissions of the 6 imprisoned as well as physical and forensic evidence that support the initial account.

7 out of the original 7 plead guilty and 6 are currently in prison.

Currently, Frankie Brewster from jail has reaffirmed her guilt. (Associated Press, Saturday, Oct. 24th)

“Caretaker” Valencia  Daniels has stated Megan Williams “has mental issues” and “goes back and forth” with her story and that she (Daniels) “Doesn’t know what to believe” (Associated Press, Friday, Oct. 23rd)

The NBPP has determined that if any foul play was/is involved it was committed by the following individuals:

1. Carmen Williams; Mrs. Williams is not here to answer questions or defend herself. The NBPP will only say that if money is unaccounted for it is due to mismanagement. All monies were turned over to or made out to Carmen Williams on behalf of Megan. In Carmen Williams defense, any mismanagement may have been due to never being in this situation before, being besieged by media and dealing with the pressure of threats and intimidation as well as the initial tragedy.
   
   
2. Atty. Byron Potts; Atty. Potts has publicly stated he believes Megan was manipulated by the NBPP and Atty. Shabazz, however he also admits in contrast that he has little to no knowledge of the original case. We find it irresponsible to make any statements as a legal professional without any facts. Further, to hold a press conference and announce Nationally that Megan Williams was to recant, and continue without her presence and “recant” on her behalf is highly unethical. There is no signed document or video. We are suspicious of Atty. Potts methods and motives.
   
   
3. “Caretaker” Valencia Daniels; Megan Williams has been with Ms. Daniels for over a year and no determination as to her mental status and health has been made. Ms. Daniels herself has been part of this current situation by not interceding in Megan’s attempts at securing an attorney, contacting the prosecutor, contacting media and in Atty. Potts scheduling of a press conference. In the past, Ms. Daniels has reached out to the “Jerry Springer Show” as well as produced youtube videos which solicited funds for Megan’s situation. The NBPP has determined that the bulk of the current confusion has been propagated by Ms. Daniels. We are suspicious of Ms. Daniels methods, motives and mental competence.

MEDIA EXCERPTS
Caretaker: Woman has changed torture story before
By MATT LEINGANG and TOM BREEN (AP) – 2 days ago
COLUMBUS, Ohio —A black woman who recanted 2007 allegations of being kidnapped and tortured by a group of white people in West Virginia has mental issues and has changed her version of what happened more than once, her caretaker said Thursday.
Valencia Daniels of Columbus said that Megan Williams "goes back and forth, back and forth" about the allegations of being beaten, raped and tortured. Williams sometimes says the story is true and other times says some of it didn't happen, Daniels said.
"I really don't know what to believe," Daniels, 47, told The Associated Press.

Associated Press Saturday, October 24th jailhouse interview with Frankie Brewster
(mother of Bobby Brewster who had a “relationship” with Megan Williams)
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,569374,00.html
“Frankie Brewster told WCHS-TV in Charleston that multiple crimes were committed against Megan Williams during the attack in West Virginia's rural Logan County, about 50 miles south of Charleston.”
Brewster is rejecting Williams' new version of events.
"It did happen," Brewster said during the interview at the Lakin Correctional Center, where she is serving 10 to 25 years. "All of us participated."
Brewster denied that race or Williams' relationship with her son started the series of crimes. Rather, she blamed a co-defendant who accused Williams of stealing.
While Brewster would not detail her own actions, she acknowledged having improper contact with Williams. Brewster pleaded guilty to second-degree sexual assault in the case.
Brewster also said that race wasn't a factor and she said some of the crimes did not occur at her trailer home.
"I just want the truth out and for people take responsibility for what they did," Brewster said.