The Staged Photo |
The Reality (Photos by Cal Deal) |
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This photo of Carter and Dylan was staged to deceive the public and thereby win sympathy for Carter's cause. It was published in People magazine on Dec. 22, 1975 -- almost one year to the day before Carter's second murder conviction.
The caption: "Bridging a prison gate in New Jersey, Rubin (Hurricane) Carter, inside, and Bob Dylan, out, rap before showtime." Click on the top image for a blowup. |
In reality there were wide open spaces in the "prison" gymnasium where the concert occured. Carter was free to move around and even walk up onto the stage, which he did after Dylan performed "Hurricane" (above). Click on photos for blowups. COLOR PHOTO OF THE SHOW
After the concert, Dylan disappeared. Carter sat alone on the stage and fed his story to a hungry press.
Photos by Cal Deal |
The photo purports
to show Carter and Dylan getting together before Dylan's Dec.
6, 1975 concert at Clinton State Prison. Because Clinton was
a "country club" prison in the lush rolling hills of
western New Jersey (photo at right), they couldn't find any bars
to use as a prop! They had to resort to separating the men with
a grate that was normally used to close off a hallway.
