In Oakland, Calif., in 1968, Huey P. Newton, the Black Panther leader, was convicted of killing a white police officer. In 1971, after two more trials and nearly two years in prison, he was cleared of all charges. That’s the question at the heart of “This Land Was Made,” the gutsy but murky new play by Tori Sampson at the Vineyard Theater. Most successful is the sitcom element, which could be titled “Trish’s,” an Oakland bar where everybody knows your name. For about 25 minutes, Sampson serves up something warm and piquant at Trish’s: an interplay of zingers, flirtations, spats and politics.

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Persons: Huey P, Newton, Tori Sampson, Taylor, ”, Trish, Pugh, Antoinette Crowe, Sampson, Sassy, Matthew Griffin, Gail, Yasha Jackson, Drew, Leland Fowler, Ezra Knight Organizations: Panther, Vineyard, Mr Locations: Oakland, Calif, Libya, New Orleans, Trish’s, Troy