COINTELPRO & State Violence

COINTELPRO (Counter Intelligence Program) was the FBI's covert and illegal program to surveil, infiltrate, discredit, and disrupt domestic political organizations. The Black Panther Party was designated by FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover as "the greatest threat to the internal security of the country."

The program employed infiltrators, agent provocateurs, forged letters, planted evidence, and assassination. William O'Neal was recruited by the FBI to infiltrate the Illinois Black Panther Party. He became Fred Hampton's bodyguard and head of security — while secretly reporting to FBI Special Agent Roy Mitchell.

On the night of December 3, 1969, O'Neal slipped a barbiturate into Hampton's drink. He then provided a detailed floor plan of the apartment to the FBI, which was passed to Cook County State's Attorney Edward Hanrahan's office.

The pre-dawn raid the next morning was planned with the specific intent to kill Chairman Hampton. O'Neal was paid a bonus for his services.