Bio

Tom Manning was born on June 28, 1946 to a postal clerk in Boston. He grew up in a large Irish working-class family. His father worked very hard, often day and night, to support the family. However, they often struggled to make ends meet. As a child, Tom tried to help out by shining shoes and selling newspapers. He also spent time playing with friends and raising pigeons.

As he got older, Tom found work as a stockboy and later as a construction laborer. In 1963, he joined the U.S. military. The following year, he was stationed in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, before being sent to Vietnam in 1965.

After his time in the military, Tom faced legal troubles. He was sentenced to five years in prison for armed robbery and assault. He spent his last ten months in the Massachusetts Correctional Institution at Cedar Junction. It was during this time in prison that he became very involved in political discussions and activism.

In 1971, after completing his sentence, Tom got married to a woman named Carol. They had three children together: Jeremy, Tamara, and Jonathan. After their marriage, they moved to Northern New England and became involved in community organizing efforts to help prisoners and their families.

Murder Story

On December 21, 1981, Tom Manning and his associates were involved in a deadly incident during a traffic stop in Knowlton Township, New Jersey. A New Jersey police officer named Philip Lamonaco approached their vehicle. In a sudden confrontation, Manning shot Lamonaco, leading to the officer's death.

Following the shooting, a massive manhunt took place in New Jersey to find Manning and his associates. The search was extensive and involved many law enforcement agencies. Eventually, several members of the United Freedom Front were arrested in connection with the murder, including Manning.

In 1985, Manning was captured alongside his wife, Carol. He faced trial for the murder of Officer Lamonaco. During the trial, Manning's defense claimed that he acted in self-defense, arguing that Lamonaco had fired multiple rounds from his weapon during their encounter.

Manning was convicted and sentenced to death on February 19, 1987. His case received significant attention because of his involvement with a radical group and the events surrounding the murder. Manning's death sentence was part of a wider prosecution effort against those associated with the United Freedom Front and their actions during that time.