Locals Surprised By Arrests Of Brown And O'Neal

Jan. 23 - KGO (KGO) -- Two of the men arrested today are well known in San Francisco's Western Addition district. One of them, Richard Brown has been a community activist for years. Today's arrests are expected to have an impact on this community.

Richard O'Neal and Richard Brown were supposed to be thinking about their retirement -- now they face possible prison time. Fifty-seven-year-old O'Neal lives at the Freedom West Homes Complex in the Western Addition.

Neighbors say his arrest came unexpectedly.

Joe Polk, Friend: "He's a good friend of mine, he's a very nice person."

ABC7's Lyanne Melendez: "Were you surprised when you heard of his arrest?"

Joe Polk, Friend: "I was very much surprised."

Richard Brown is 65-years-old, he worked at the Ella Hill Hutch Community Center in a job training program. Brown was also part of the African American Police Community Relations Board -- a liaison group between police and the community.

Reverend Amos Brown has known him for years.

Rev. Amos Brown, Community Leader: "And I hope, I hope, I underscore that this is not an activity of senseless harassment of this young man."

In the documentary "Legacy of Torture," Richard Brown talked about the many failed attempts to link him to the 1971 murder of officer John Young.

Richard Brown: "This was their whole purpose, was to disrupt me from my focus, and from the things I do best and that's serving the people and my children. So no I will never cooperate with these people."

Reverend Brown says the arrests will open old wounds in this community.

Reverend Amos Brown: "Many who went through that painful period will be roused again and be concerned that was a painful period."

There is no doubt this community still thinks highly of many of the former Black Panther Party members. John Bowman died four weeks ago in Oklahoma, he too was a suspect. In San Francisco, the African American Art and Culture Complex will have a memorial for him this Sunday to "celebrate the life and legacy of John Bowman," described as a soldier in the struggle for black liberation.

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