Mumia Abu-Jamal focus of anti-death penalty protest

The World Day Against the Death Penalty was commemorated on Oct. 10 with a major emphasis on the United States, where more executions take place than any other industrialized country. Since the death penalty was reinstituted by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1976, 1,229 executions have taken place, with 41 in 2010 alone and counting. (Death Penalty Information Center, Oct. 6)

Photo: John Leslie

In Philadelphia a march and all-day forum took place against the death penalty, organized by the International Concerned Family and Friends of Mumia Abu-Jamal and the Free Mumia Abu-Jamal Coalition (NYC). Philadelphia has sent more Black men to death row than any other U.S. city.

Mumia is the most well-known political prisoner in the world. An award-winning journalist and former Black Panther Party member, he was sent to death row in Philadelphia after being found guilty of first-degree murder of a white police officer in 1982. Mumia has maintained his innocence since his arrest in December 1981. He has survived two death warrants, signed in 1995 and 1999, due to international mass support for his freedom.

His appeals for a new trial to hear vital, suppressed evidence have been repeatedly rejected by the state and federal courts of appeals, including the U.S. Supreme Court. Amnesty International and others have called for a new trial for Mumia based on the injustice he received during the original trial.

On Nov. 9, the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals will hold a court hearing in Philadelphia to determine whether to bring back the death penalty for Abu-Jamal or whether he will be sentenced to life in prison with no hope of parole. The death sentence was set aside for Abu-Jamal by the federal courts in 2001 due to improper sentencing instructions to the jury that convicted him. This particular ruling did not grant a new trial for Mumia.

The Fraternal Order of Police, Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell and the district attorney’s office are campaigning to bring back the death penalty for Abu-Jamal, who is known as “the voice of the voiceless.” Similar forces are attempting to separate Mumia’s case from other anti-death-penalty cases, in order to weaken the movement to end this form of terrorism against the poor and people of color.

The Oct. 10 protest included a march from the FOP headquarters to the forum at La Familia community center. Activists traveled from New York; New Jersey; Washington, D.C.; and elsewhere. Young people from Philadelphia were also in attendance.

The audience heard from young rap artists and saw the newly released documentary, “Justice on Trial.” The film includes interviews of Abu-Jamal’s family members and supporters, along with testimony from legal experts on how and why he was railroaded to death row.

Investigative reporter and legal expert Linn Washington outlined the legal and political ramifications of Mumia’s case. Lawrence Hayes and Darby Tillis spoke on their experiences of being on death row before they were exonerated. Suzanne Ross from the Free Mumia Abu-Jamal Coalition (NYC) gave an update on the ongoing campaign to pressure the U.S. Justice Department to establish a civil rights investigation on behalf of Mumia.

Betsey Piette from the Philadelphia International Action Center explained the links between Abu-Jamal’s case and the recent FBI raids and grand jury witch hunt against 14 political activists. Former political prisoner Fred Hampton Jr. and Cecil Gutzmore, a Pan-African scholar and activist based in Jamaica, spoke. The cases of Georgia death row inmate Troy Davis and political prisoner Lynne Stewart were acknowledged. The forum was chaired by Pam Africa from ICFFMAJ.

Abu-Jamal’s supporters are planning to organize for the Nov. 9 hearing from all over the country and internationally.