Thomas Hagan, the 69-year old confessed killer of Malcolm X, a militant member of the Nation of Islam on Feb. 21, 1965, has been granted parole on his 17th try. Hagan and two others, who did not confess were all convicted and sentenced to 20 years to life.

The two other African-American men, Muhammad Abdul Aziz (then known as Norman 3X Butler) and Kahlil Islam (then Thomas 15X Johnson, were paroled in 1985 and 1987 respectively.
Hagan did not testify gainst either man at their trials. In 1977 he named both men as deciding to kill Malcom X because he had gone against the teaching of the Nation of Islam and Elijah Muhammad.

In 1965 there was wide speculation that had Malcolm X (born Malcolm Little; May 19, 1925 – February 21, 1965, also known as El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz) been killed by someone outside his race widespread violence could have swept the nation. Malcolm X’s family had been activity before he was born persecuted by the KKK, and had their house burned to the ground.

Hagan who was taken into custody only moments after the shooting has been on work release for more than two decades, but he still spends two days a week locked up at the Lincoln Correctional Facility on West 110th Street in Manhattan. Hagan earned a Masters Dgeree while imprisoned.

“Power never takes a back step - only in the face of more power,” Malcolm X.