The Third Department, annulling the disciplinary determination, held that petitioner-inmate, who was teaching a course on African-American history, did not violate prison rules prohibiting gang activity by describing the the operating rules of the Black Panther Party or by commenting on the Bloods:
While discussing the history of the Black Panther Party and its apparent code of ethics, known as the “Eight Points of Attention,” petitioner stated that the eighth point was “[i]f we ever have to take captives, do not ill treat them.” Later in the class while critiquing another group, known as “Damu” or the Bloods gang, he stated, in relevant part, that “they could be the biggest army across this country if they were to organize themselves.” * * *
A review of the videotape of the class clearly reveals that petitioner made the statements at issue while discussing African-American organizations from an historical, cultural and political perspective and that such statements were consistent with the approved subject matter of the class. At no point did petitioner advocate that the class participants, none of whom were revealed to be gang members, engage in violent behavior by actually taking hostages or that they organize by banding together to become members of the Bloods gang. Rather, the videotape discloses that petitioner engaged in a detailed discussion of various historical events during the 1½-hour class and recited facts regarding these organizations that he thought were relevant in an effort to engage the class participants. Viewing the statements in the proper context, the evidence does not establish that petitioner “engage[d] in any violent conduct or conduct involving the threat of violence either individually or in a group” … or that he “l[ed], organize[d], participate[d], or urge[d] other inmates to participate, in a work-stoppage, sit-in, lock-in, or other actions which may be detrimental to the order of the facility” … . Likewise, the evidence does not demonstrate that petitioner “engage[d] in or encourage[d] others in gang activities or meetings” … . Matter of Bottom v Annucci, 2018 NY Slip Op 03413, Third Dept 5-10-18
DISCIPLINARY HEARINGS (INMATES) (PETITIONER-INMATE, WHO WAS CONDUCTING A CLASS ON AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY, DID NOT VIOLATE PRISON RULES PROHIBITING GANG ACTIVITY BY DISCUSSING THE BLACK PANTHER PARTY AND THE BLOODS (THIRD DEPT))/GANGS (INMATES, DISCIPLINARY HEARINGS, PETITIONER-INMATE, WHO WAS CONDUCTING A CLASS ON AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY, DID NOT VIOLATE PRISON RULES PROHIBITING GANG ACTIVITY BY DISCUSSING THE BLACK PANTHER PARTY AND THE BLOODS (THIRD DEPT))