Edward S. Miller
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- For other uses see: Edward Miller.
Edward S. Miller was an official with the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation.
He was once head of Squad 47, the domestic counterintelligence unit in the FBI's New York Field Office. During that time he was involved in COINTELPRO, a program in place from 1956 to 1971 with a mission to eliminate "politically objectionable" organizations and individuals by many means. He authorized break-ins without warrants into homes of people connected with the radical group Weather Underground. He argued these "black-bag jobs" were standard procedure.
During a 1975 Senate investigation, committee head Frank Church stated that COINTELPRO actions were "fraught with illegality."
In November 1980, Miller, then head of the FBI's intelligence division, and W. Mark Felt were convicted after a seven-week federal jury trial of having "conspired to injure and oppress the citizens of the United States." While the convictions were being appealed in April 1981, President Ronald Reagan pardoned both men. At the time of trial, Felt and Miller were the highest-ranking bureau employees to have been tried for a criminal offense. [1]
[edit] References
- ^ Pear, Robert (April 16, 1981). President Reagan Pardons 2 Ex-F.B.I. Officials in 1970's Break-Ins. New York Times
