Court appeal scheduled for US political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal

Abu-Jamal, who will turn 53-years-old on April 24, has spent nearly half of his life on Pennsylvania’s death row. In December 2001, after years of US and international protests opposing his execution, a federal judge overturned Abu-Jamal’s death sentence but upheld his 25-year-old murder conviction. While Abu-Jamal’s attorneys are asking the three-judge panel on the appellate court to throw out the conviction and grant him a new trial, the State of Pennsylvania is appealing to the same court to reinstate the death penalty. If prosecutors are successful a new execution date could be set for Mumia. If they fail, the Philadelphia District Attorney’s office could impanel a new jury to rehear the penalty phase of the case, which could result in a new death sentence.

Because the District Attorney’s office appealed Judge Yohn’s death penalty decision, Mumia has never left death row, and is still unable to have such “privileges” as full-contact visits with his family.

In a publicly released letter Robert R. Bryan, the lead counsel for Abu-Jamal, said the case concerns the right to a fair trial, the struggle against the death penalty, and the political repression of an outspoken journalist. “Racism and politics are threads that run through this case since his 1981 arrest,” he wrote. Pam Africa, the coordinator of Abu-Jamal’s international support network, emphasized that “Mumia can still be executed. Further, since the Supreme Court is unlikely to hear Mumia’s case, this is realistically his last chance to get a new trial. As the history of his case shows, we need public pressure to ensure the court’s fairness.”

Abu-Jamal was arrested for the murder of officer Daniel Faulkner, who stopped Mumia’s brother’s car in the early morning of December 9, 1981 Abu-Jamal, working as a taxi driver, happened on the scene and saw that his brother had been beaten. In the moments that followed, both the police officer and Abu-Jamal were shot. The officer died, and Abu-Jamal was hospitalized in critical condition. He was charged with murder and quickly tried and convicted in a racially charged trial. Abu-Jamal has steadfastly maintained his innocence.

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http://wsws.org/articles/2007/apr2007/mumi-a18.shtml