On August 31, 1970, Lonnie McLucas, a member of the Black Panther Party, was convicted in New Haven, Connecticut, of conspiracy to murder Alex Rackley, who was believed to be an FBI informant. Rackley’s murder had occurred in May 1969, and McLucas was one of several people charged in connection with the crime. The case gained attention due to the controversy surrounding the Black Panther Party’s activities and the FBI’s COINTELPRO (Counter Intelligence Program), which sought to infiltrate and undermine Black liberation groups.

While McLucas was convicted, the charges against several other defendants were later dismissed. The case was part of a broader climate of tension during the 1960s and early 1970s, when various radical political movements and their confrontations with authorities were at the forefront of national debates.