13 Facts About Alex Rackley

Alex Rackley was an American activist who was a member of the New York chapter of the Black Panther Party in the late-1960s.

In May 1969, Rackley was suspected by other Panthers of being a police informant.

Alex Rackley was brought to Panther headquarters in New Haven, Connecticut, held captive and tortured there for several days, condemned to death, taken to the wetlands of Middlefield, Connecticut, and murdered there.

Alex Rackley's killing was the crime at the center of the 1970 New Haven Black Panther trials.

Alex Rackley was one of eight siblings and grew up in the Mixon Town neighborhood.

Alex Rackley attended Stanton Vocational High School before dropping out.

In 1968, Alex Rackley left his home state of Florida and moved to New York City.

Alex Rackley's loyalty was questioned, and rumors circulated that he was passing information about the Panthers to the FBI.

Finally, after two days of this treatment, according to witnesses, Alex Rackley confessed to the accusations.

Alex Rackley's body was discovered later that morning by 23-year-old factory worker John Mroczka, who had stopped his motorcycle near a bridge on Route 147 to check out a favorite trout-fishing spot on the river bank.

Alex Rackley's wrists were tied with gauze, his neck was wrapped in a noose made from a wire coat hanger; there were extensive burns on wide areas of his chest, wrists, buttocks, thighs, and right shoulder.

Alex Rackley had been beaten around his face, groin, and lumbar region with a hard object.

Jurors listened to audio recordings the Panthers had made of Alex Rackley's whimpering, tortured voice during his two days of agony.