Mumia Abu-Jamal Deserves a New Trial
I am not against the death penalty for people who kill police,
but the trial of Mumia Abu-Jamal in 1982 was apparently an abuse of justice.
This black activist and journalist, who had been associated with
the Black Panthers and covered the Move bombing, was driving a cab
when he came upon his brother being beaten by a Philadelphia policeman.
Moments later, Abu-Jamal and the cop had both been shot, and
his brother's passenger, who at least one witness testified
had done the shooting, fled the scene. Among other
things:
- The police and the prosecutor's office never bothered to verify if
the weapon Abu-Jamal carried had been fired that night.
- The initial autopsy report indicated that the officer's wounds had been caused
by a bullet of a larger caliber than the gun Abu-Jamal carried.
- There was testimony at the trial that Abu-Jamal had bragged about
shooting the officer while in the emergency room for treatment of
his own wounds. A police officer who had signed a report stating
that Abu-Jamal did not make any such statement went on vacation
during the trial and never testified.
These and numerous other irregularities lead to an inescapable
conclusion that the legal process did not work correctly here and that
due to police anger and heavy politicization,
Abu-Jamal did not receive a fair trial. Originally scheduled
for execution on August 17, Abu-Jamal was granted
a stay reluctantly by the trial judge, a probable sign
that political pressure is paying off. Here are some things you can do:
For more information, check out:
Prisondesk
The SGP
Amnesty International
Write or fax the Governor of Pennsylvania asking him to intercede
in favor of a new trial:
Hon. Thomas Ridge
Main Capitol Building, Room 225
Harrisburg, PA 17120
FAX: 717-783-3369
VOICE: 717-787-2500