Events planned to ‘Free Mumia!’

Mumia Abu-Jamal

On April 24, African American revolutionary journalist and political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal will turn 51 years old. He has spent almost 23 years on Pennsylvania’s death row for a killing that he did not commit—the fatal shooting of a white cop, Daniel Faulkner, in 1981 in Philadelphia.

Abu-Jamal, a former Black Panther, has maintained since his arrest until the present that he did not carry out the shooting—that he is in fact the victim of a racist frame-up spearheaded by the Phila del phia Fraternal Order of Police and their allies. Why else will the courts not allow important suppressed evidence to be heard?

This evidence includes a video confession from someone who admitted to shooting Faulkner. It also includes an affidavit from a white stenographer who overheard the original trial judge, Albert Sabo, use a racist epithet against Abu-Jamal.

April 24 is also the ninth anniversary of the signing by President Bill Clinton of the notorious Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act. This act placed severe restrictions on the ability of state and federal prisoners to get federal courts to review their sentences and convictions under habeas corpus relief. It also created a six-month statute of limitation within which habeas corpus petitions must be filed after appeal in death penalty cases.

In other words, if a death row inmate wants to use a federal appeal to challenge the biased ruling of a state court, the federal court can use a technicality like a passed time limit as an excuse not to hear that appeal. And it doesn’t matter one iota if the inmate has any vital evidence to prove his or her innocence. The result can be the speeding up of an execution. The courts have used this act to deny Abu-Jamal’s appeals time and time again.

In December 2001, a federal district judge overturned Abu-Jamal’s death sentence but not his first-degree murder conviction. This means that Abu-Jamal could face a re-sentencing hearing which could either sentence him to life imprisonment or reimpose the death penalty. Abu-Jamal’s lawyers are appealing this ruling, stating that nothing short of a new trial to prove his innocence is acceptable.

The attempts to legally lynch Mumia Abu-Jamal have not deterred the political movement here and worldwide from organizing and fighting for his freedom. On the contrary, many in the movement understand that ultimately Abu-Jamal’s freedom will be won not in the courts but in the streets. Many understand that the courts, the police and the government want to silence Abu-Jamal’s voice because he speaks out so clearly and strongly in his audio and written commentaries on international and domestic issues—including the war and occupation of Iraq and the struggle to save Social Security.

Three important Free Mumia events will coincide with his birthday:

*On April 22 in Philadelphia, “It’s time for the African/Black Community to take a serious STAND” and “Get Up, Stand Up Cultural Celebration, Edutainment, and Freedom Bash” will take place at 7:30 p.m. at the Mantis School of Boxing, 4522 Balti more Ave. Guest speakers will include Pam Africa, national leader of International Concerned Family & Friends of Mumia Abu-Jamal, and Basiymah Mu-Bey.

Performances will include: Universal Dance and Drum Ensemble; South African percussionist Magauwane; hip-hop/poet Maj Toure; poetry and lyrical verse, Seasons of the Mind; rap artists Seeds of Wisdom, and many more. Call: 215-213-0078 or Email: BlacxPhilly@ aol.com for information.

*On April 23 in Harlem a 1 p.m. outdoor rally at the Harlem State Office Building will be followed by a 3 p.m. indoor meeting and concert at the Salem United Methodist Church. Speakers will include Mayor David Dinkins; Million Worker March leader Brenda Stokely; City Council persons Charles Barron and Margarita Lopez; Pam Africa; MOVE representative Ramona Africa; Rev. Luis Barrios; International Action Center co-director Larry Holmes; former political prisoner Herman Ferguson, and many more. Cultural performances will be given by Nana Soul, Camille Yarborough, Spirit Child from Movement in Motion, Seeds of Wisdom and Hasan Salaam, to name a few. Call (212) 330-8029 or (212) 633-6646 for more information.

*On April 24 in San Francisco, a “Michael Franti and Friends in Concert to Free Mumia Abu-Jamal” will be held at the Mission High School at 2 p.m. Besides Franti, other rally participants will include Lynne Stewart, New York human rights attorney facing a 35-year federal prison term for “abetting terrorism”; Pam Africa; Robert Bryan, Abu-Jamal’s lead attorney; Barbara Becnel, literary agent for death row inmate Stanley “Tookie” Williams, and others. Call (415) 255-1085 for more information.