The Turkey Shoot: Tracking the Attica Cover-up

When the time came for law officers to retake Attica Prison on Sept. 13, 1971, the head of the New York state police troop charged with that task told his men he did not want a "turkey shoot." That, however, is precisely what he got, asserts this powerful expose by a former chief assistant to the special Attica prosecutor. Police use of excessive force, charges Bell, set in motion a conspiracy on the part of the state to cover up for the lawmen involved. Loyal to his superior, Bell was reluctant to believe in official wrongdoing, but when he saw his efforts to prosecute the police undermined, he felt he had to resign. He suggests that the cover-up originated in the office of Attorney General Louis Lefkowitz who was eager to protect the reputation of Governor Nelson Rockefeller, named U.S. Vice-President just as the grand jury investigation of the case was climaxing. A major contribution to the Attica story.