48 lines
3.0 KiB
Plaintext
48 lines
3.0 KiB
Plaintext
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New Death Warrant Signed for Mumia Abu-Jamal
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On October 13th, Governor Ridge of Pennsylvania signed a new death
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warrant for African-American activist and journalist Mumia Abu-Jamal
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currently on death row. Supporters around the country took to the
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streets to protest the warrant on October 14th and 16th and demand a new
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trial.
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Mumia was sentenced to death in 1982 in association with the death of
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White police officer Daniel Faulkner. Abu-Jamal was driving his taxi cab
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in Philadelphia when he saw a man being beaten by Faulkner. Mumia
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stopped and realized the man being beaten was his brother. Shots were
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fired, Mumia was shot in the chest and Faulkner died from a bullet wound
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to the head.
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Mumia<69>s legal defense cites many injustices concerning his trial and
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the evidence. Mumia<69>s fingers were not tested to see if he had fired a
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gun. Mumia did carry a licensed .38 caliber gun after being robbed twice
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during his night shift driving cab. Abu-Jamal<61>s gun was not smelled to
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see if it had been fired. Also, the medical examiner<65>s written report
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stated Faulkner was shot by a .44 caliber bullet.
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The legal defense also points out problems with Mumia<69>s trial. The
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jury consisted of two African-Americans in a city that is 40% Black.
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Mumia was denied his right to self-representation and was assigned a
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lawyer who was later disbarred for incompetency. Albert Sabo, the judge
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who sentenced Mumia, was know as "the hanging judge" because Sabo had
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sentenced 31 people to death. All but two were people of color. These
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are only some of the legal defense<73>s allegations and reasons for appeals.
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Governor Ridge signed Mumia<69>s death warrant two days before Mumia<69>s well
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known petition would enter the courts. Abu-Jamal has filed a writ of
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habeas corpus which asks the federal courts to decide whether Mumia has
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been legally sentenced by Sabo. This is Mumia<69>s first and last chance to
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present evidence previously denied by the Pennsylvania courts. The
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petition is also significant because it is the first time an appeal will
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be heard by a judge other than Sabo.
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People demanding a new trial for Mumia continue to educate and actively
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protest Mumia<69>s current life-threatening situation. Tens of thousands of
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people around the world protested to demand a fair trial on April 24th,
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1999. Abu-Jamal<61>s case has also gained much international and celebrity
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support. Some of the supporters include Ossie Davis, Susan Sarandon, Ed
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Asner, Rage Against the Machine, Michael Stipe of REM, the Beastie Boys,
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the former First Lady of France, and the National Lawyers Guild, the
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Japanese Diet, English Parliament, Nelson Mandela, and the Pope.
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The intention of Mumia<69>s appeal is to ask for a new trial, where jurors
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can hear both sides and consider all of the evidence. As Mumia<69>s
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attorney, Leonard Weinglass, states, "What we seek is Mumia's first day
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in court, because he has not had one yet."
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Written by Daughters of Nadia. For more information, contact
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skarndt@hotmail.com.
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