In 1968, he was retained by the Black Panther Party as their chief counsel, and to defend Huey P. Newton in the 1967 slaying of Oakland police officer John Frey. Newton was convicted on the lesser charge of manslaughter.
In 1968, he was retained by the Black Panther Party to defend Huey P. Newton in the 1967 shooting of Oakland police officer John Frey. Newton was subsequently found guilty of a lesser offense of manslaughter.