GHOSTBUSTERS CLUB: MUMIA ABU-JAMAL 1
STAND WITH MUMIA IN FEDERAL COURT
Award-winning Philadelphia journalist Mumia Abu-Jamal, the Voice of the Voiceless, has been on Pennsylvania's death row since his wrongful 1982 conviction despite overwhelming evidence he did not kill Philadelphia police officer Daniel Faulkner. During his incarceration he continues writing and radio commentary. Pressured, NPR withdrew Mumia's Live From Death Row broadcast. Prison authorities put Mumia in punitive detention for his book Live From Death Row. The U S Court of Appeals ruled this detention unconstitutional. Journalists are still prohibited from filming or recording interviews with Mumia.
Other Black authors on Death Row: Reginald S Lewis (no official website listed) and Stanley Tookie Williams at tookie.com
* IN CONCERT: RATM Sting Chumbawamba Bad Religion Beastie Boys
Mumia Abu-Jamal arrested
Philadelphia Magazine named Mumia Abu-Jamal, President of Philadelphia's Assn of Black Journalists, radio journalism's Major Armstrong Award recipient, as one of Philadelphia's people to watch. Philadelphia radio work was scarce due to political pressure. Driving cab at 4 a m Dec 9, 1981 Mumia found Faulkner beating his brother. Leaving his cab to intervene Mumia was shot and critically wounded by Faulkner. Mumia, licensed to carry a gun for protection from frequent muggings of night-shift cab drivers, carried a .38. The autopsy report showed Faulkner shot and killed by a .44 bullet. Mumia's public defender never read this report. Witnesses originally testifying that the shooter ran away admitted coercion to change their testimony. Mumia is long targeted for openly criticizing system misconduct. Although Mumia Abu-Jamal had no criminal record the FBI and Philadelphia police amassed hundreds of pages of surveillance files on him beginning in 1968 when Mumia was 15.
Mumia Abu-Jamal is framed for his writing. Our problems are nothing compared to Mumia's. We're not in custody or on death row. They tried to frame Mumia for a robbery occurring while he was at college in Vermont and for murders outside the U S but work attendance records cleared him. Mumia's crime is to expose corruption and abuse in Philadelphia, resulting in Federal investigations, and to cost Philadelphia money. Public relations wars surrounding Mumia's case continue. Maureen Faulkner, widow of the police officer Mr Jamal is accused of shooting, claims Mumia turned and smiled at her in the courtroom when her husband's bloodstained, bullet-ridden jacket was shown to the jury during his trial. Trial transctipts prove Mumia was absent when the jacket was shown.
High stakes for not stepping out. Why execute Mumia Abu-Jamal and silence those who question and struggle against this railroad? They're sure Mumia is guilty why are they afraid to give him a new trial? What are they trying to hide? Related agendas drive the offensive to kill Mumia Abu-Jamal. The first concerns their hatred for Mumia and what he represents. Youth of different classes and nationalities increasingly see and cherish Mumia as one who questioned, exposed and resisted the status quo and never gave up, turned back or lost faith even facing death. No wonder students want him to give their commencement address! Old people hearing his case remember railroads from Back in the Days. Mumia is one of the system's most articulate, courageous critics. Mumia rarely focuses on his own case but exposes other injustices. He's precious to those on the bottom, someone we must defend.
Better them than us! They ARE cruel and unusual punishment. They ARE bad language. Let them pay with their lives so they can't frame us any more.
With death warrant signed the prisoner moves to Phase II: No property or clothes allowed, no access to legal papers Phone calls only with Warden's permission each call Visits only by immediate family 24/7 camera surveillance Attorney visits only under surveillance
Buzz Bissinger and Sam Donaldson praise Philip Bloch's "courage" in revealing Mumia Abu-Jamal's 1992 "confession" to him, unaware that Bloch wrote Mumia in 1993 expressing his belief in Mumia's innocence. Bloch paid $20 in 1995 to add his name to a newspaper ad listing those believing Mumia was innocent. Bissinger was Philadelphia Mayor Ed Rendell's primary publicist and D A when Abu-Jamal was tried and sentenced to death in 1982. If Mumia receives a new Federal trial evidence presented would seriously damage Rendell's political career.
* General Chairman of the Democratic Party National Convention Aug 14, 2000 Los Angeles
* As Philadelphia DA he designed and executed Mumia's frame-up, including unconstitutionally using Mumia's Panther affiliation in requesting the death sentence
* Planted Vanity Fair article. Author Buzz Bissinger did PR for his mayoral campaign. He was elected partly on continued efforts to execute Mumia. As Mayor he led Philadelphia's attack on the Black United Fund
* Oversaw the 1984 bombing of the MOVE headquarters (prepared for a year) leaving 11 dead and 65 homes destroyed
* Led countless other frame-ups thrown out due to litigation and investigations, including federal
* "Friend" of Bill Clinton signing 1996 Effective Death Penalty Act into law
* Wife: Judge Marjorie O Rendell, 3rd Circuit U S Court of Appeals
* Will run for Pennsylvania Governor in 2002
* Fraternal Order of Police member
We're not A/D drug addicts or drunks. We support those wrongly accused. We do NOT support actual criminals. We mobilize like-minded people to rally and support political prisoners. We flyer, speak, write articles and letters, hold events, fundraise. We ask others to write. We invite speakers. We ask event announcers to mention Mumia. Quilts are part of the freedom struggle, remarkable creativity employed for the Underground Railroad. We now quilt for Mumia Abu-Jamal.
Death penalty opponent Hamburg District Court Judge Ulf Panzer translated Len Weinglass' book Race for Justice into German. Panzer, a judge at Philadelphia's Dec 1997 International Tribunal, joined Berlin's demonstration for Mumia Feb 4, 2000. Panzer and other Judges and Prosecutors for Peace members wish success for Feb 28 rally.
Pensacola Coalition to Free Mumia Abu-Jamal protest in solidarity with Washington DC and San Francisco civil disobedience, got positive news coverage. Organizers' homes and offices received notices of city building code violations. Pensacola's not really a big city. Activists are visible and easily targeted. You can't disappear in a crowd there like in Seattle or New York. Police know where activists live, following them home from demonstrations. Police attended teach-ins, rallies and poetry readings during September's Mumia Awareness Week. The Fraternal Order of Police coincidently had their national conference near Pensacola, hotly discussing Mumia.
Life in prison
Prison, a cruel place, breaks even the strong. Eventually people give up, give out and give in to prison, the lowest level of human existence. List friendly, articulate Rubin Hurricane Carter among the strong in the midst of tension and uncertainly. He spent 10 years in solitary for refusing to wear prison clothes because he did not commit a crime. Denzel Washington played Carter in Oscar-nominated "The Hurricane". Carter stood his ground, enduring darkness, cold, meager slices of bread and no sanitary facilities for nearly half his sentence. Released after his innocence was proved, he spoke without bitterness. Asked why after 20 years in prison for a 1966 triple murder he didn't commit he said people spent time and energy to free him and he can't do less for others. Carter spoke on behalf of Mumia Abu-Jamal, eagerly discussing parallels between his life and that of Abu-Jamal. A banner read: Mumia, a Voice for Freedom.
Power of people
History proves there is power in people it whether electing a president, striking for safe work conditions or protesting mistreatment of circus animals. Ultimately people make a difference. It's hard to understand what it means to sit on death row waiting for execution while people outside want your freedom.
Mumia's off Death Row on a technicality but still in prison for life. Accusers still try to put him back on Death Row. April 24, 2004 Mumia will be 50. The world will celebrate and march! Stand with Mumia and join the demo in your city.
Friends of Mumia Abu-Jamal mumia.org freemumia.org freemumia.com Violettes page Refuse and Resist International Action Center Chicago mobes Mumia 2000 Youth for Mumia Forum Y4M Twin Cities Minnesota Write Mumia! [email protected] Write Mumia's website! [email protected] Write Nattyreb! [email protected] Freepeltier Tookie Williams