Last Angola 3 prisoner could go free

Published 9:23 am Friday, June 12, 2015

NEW ORLEANS  — The last of the Angola Three prisoners is still waiting to hear whether he will walk free after more than four decades in solitary confinement at a Louisiana prison farm.

A federal judge ruled earlier this week that Albert Woodfox must be released immediately, saying the state has never proved — and never will — that he was responsible for the stabbing death of Louisiana State Penitentiary guard Brent Miller 43 years ago.

But the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals stayed his release while deciding whether to hear an appeal from Louisiana Attorney General James “Buddy” Caldwell, who wants to try Woodfox a third time for the guard’s slaying.

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That stay expires Friday afternoon.

The court is likely to take one of two actions: extend the stay if it has decided or still needs time to decide whether to hear the state’s appeal; or announce that it won’t hear the state’s appeal and order Woodfox’s immediate release.