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Larry Sales

Released
Gender:Male
Race:White
Era:1960s
State:California
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Anti-War Presidio 27
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Biography

Larry Sales, then 21 and from Modesto, California, was a U.S. Army soldier and one of the "Presidio 27" — the stockade prisoners at the Presidio of San Francisco who, on October 14, 1968, staged a sit-down protest against brutal conditions and the killing of a fellow prisoner, Richard Bunch, who had been shot in the back by a guard three days earlier. Singing "We Shall Overcome" and reading out a list of grievances, the men were charged with mutiny, a capital offense. On appeal in June 1970 the mutiny convictions were reduced to willful disobedience, and the defendants were released after about eighteen months.

Case

Presidio Stockade
Charges: Mutiny — for the October 14, 1968 sit-down protest by prisoners at the Presidio stockade (reduced to willful disobedience on appeal, June 1970).
Sentenced: Jun 6, 1969
Incarcerated: October 1968
Released: 1970
Sentence: Acquitted of mutiny; convicted of failing to obey a lawful order and sentenced to three months at hard labor on June 6, 1969. The Court of Military Review dismissed all charges on May 22, 1970 because mental responsibility was not established. The appellate decision date is not a verified release date. Exact release remains unverified.
Convicted: Yes
Institution State: California