Proud to Be an American

There are many stories about the dark side of United States law enforcement and intelligence agencies. Here’s just one of them. You can read it or listen to it on NPR’s website. It’s about Viola Liuzzo’s killing and subsequent smearing by the FBI during the civil rights days of the 60s.

The family couldn't figure out why anyone would say such things. Then, when the Klansmen were put on trial for Liuzzo's death, they learned that a key witness was a paid FBI informant who had been in the Klansmen's car. Years later, the family sought to have Liuzzo's FBI file opened. They finally succeeded, and that's when they discovered that the rumors about her had come directly from J. Edgar Hoover.

[...]

The smears took an awful toll. Anthony Liuzzo became a heavy drinker and later died. The Liuzzo children all moved away. Sally Liuzzo-Prado, the youngest, was later diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety.

[...]

Anthony Liuzzo, a Teamsters union official [...] also hired two armed guards to watch their house day and night for two years.

  NPR