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In 1961, aged 20, he was convicted of armed robbery. The crime consisted of holding a man at gunpoint at a gas station, and the fact that there was only $70 in the till to steal does not make it any less violent. He pleaded guilty and was given an indeterminate sentence of minimum one year to life. Later he claimed that he had not committed the robbery, but he admitted carrying out many others. He was sent to San Quentin State Prison, where he was quite soon found guilty of assaults on guards and fellow inmates. Such behavior meant that he was not eligible for parole and early release. He effectively sentenced himself to remain incarcerated. He had a lawyer and wrote to her but she was unable to do much for him while he continued to re-offend.  

In 1961, aged 20, he was convicted of armed robbery. The crime consisted of holding a man at gunpoint at a gas station, and the fact that there was only $70 in the till to steal does not make it any less violent. He pleaded guilty and was given an indeterminate sentence of minimum one year to life. Later he claimed that he had not committed the robbery, but he admitted carrying out many others. He was sent to San Quentin State Prison, where he was quite soon found guilty of assaults on guards and fellow inmates. Such behavior meant that he was not eligible for parole and early release. He effectively sentenced himself to remain incarcerated. He had a lawyer and wrote to her but she was unable to do much for him while he continued to re-offend.  

In prison, Jackson met other black American criminals such as Huey P. Newton who taught him to see himself as a political victim, and led him to join the Black Panthers, a movement for violent revolution. He used the prison library facilities to read the works of Karl Marx, Lenin, and Mao-tse-Tung.

In prison, Jackson met other black American criminals such as Huey P. Newton who taught him to see himself as a social victim, and led him to join the Black Panthers, a movement for violent revolution. He used the prison library facilities to read the works of Karl Marx, Lenin, and Mao-tse-Tung.

In 1969, Jackson was transferred from San Quentin to the [[Soledad]] prison in California, where in January 1970, he and others were charged with the murder of a guard John V. Mills who had shot several black inmates during a riot in the prison yard. Jackson if convicted this time faced a possible death penalty.

In 1969, Jackson was transferred from San Quentin to the [[Soledad]] prison in California, where in January 1970, he and others were charged with the murder of a guard John V. Mills who had shot several black inmates during a riot in the prison yard. Jackson if convicted this time faced a possible death penalty.