Mumia Abu-Jamal Has Filed New Legal Papers on Constitutional Violations
Originally uploaded by Pan-African News Wire Photo File.
TOMORROW, TUESDAY APRIL 24
Join us in celebrating Mumia's birthday by fighting for his release! His final appeal is May 17! Come together tomorrow to strategize for this milestone in Mumia's case!
Ring around City Hall, noon, Philadelphia City Hall, HONK FOR MUMIA!
5:30 pm Doors open American Friends Service Center (AFSC), 15th and Cherry Sts., Philadelphia
6 pm AFSC, Showing of "Framing of an Execution," narrated by Danny Glover
7:30 pm Panel Presentation with Danny Glover, Harold Wilson, Ron Hampton, Sonia Sanchez, Linn Washington, Ramona Africa, DeLacy Davis, and Michael Coard.
April 20, 2007
Dear Friends,
Just an hour ago, Abu-Jamal News (the new news format just hot off the press edited by the equally new outfit “Journalists for Mumia”) was informed by Mumia’s lead attorney Robert R. Bryan that the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia has
1) ruled against the prosecution’s motion that the court recuse itself and
2) given the opposing sides each an extra half hour for their arguments, meaning that both defense and prosecution will have one hour instead of only 30 minutes at the May 17 hearing.
On April 20, 2007, Robert told us via e-mail: “We won on both of my motions [i.e., the defense motion opposing the recusal and the defense motion for more time for arguments at the hearing, MS]. In denying the disqualification of the Third Circuit, the court adopted my argument. Even though I will try to get out more detail over the weekend, you may send out the news.”
This doesn’t tell us yet whether the court’s final decision re Mumia will indeed be just, but it’s great news all the same.
So let’s continue our struggle for life, liberty, and justice for Mumia – and all the many others who are still denied their basic human rights!
With best greetings from AJN,
Hans Bennett & Michael Schiffmann
J4M (Journalists for Mumia)
Reach us via
Hans Bennett:
destroycapitalism@hotmail.com
Michael Schiffmann:
mikschiff@t-online.de
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/04/20/america/NA-GEN-US-Mumia-Abu-Jamal.php
Appeals court will hear Abu-Jamal case
The Associated Press
Friday, April 20, 2007
PHILADELPHIA: A federal appeals court said Friday it will not step down from the death-row case of former Black Panther and radio reporter Mumia Abu-Jamal, paving the way for a key hearing next month.
Abu-Jamal, a popular figure among activists who say he is the victim of a racist U.S. justice system, has been on death row for a quarter-century for the 1981 slaying of white Philadelphia police Officer Daniel Faulkner.
Prosecutors had asked outside judges to hear the case because the husband of 3rd U.S. Circuit Judge Marjorie O. Rendell was district attorney during Abu-Jamal's 1982 trial. They said that created the appearance of a conflict.
Judge Rendell, who is married to Gov. Ed Rendell, and three colleagues on the Philadelphia-based 3rd Circuit instead recused themselves for reasons not disclosed in the two-page ruling.
The removal of those four judges leaves many others to serve on the three-judge panel hearing the case, the order said. The panel members have not been announced.
In Abu-Jamal's appeal, he argues that city prosecutors routinely removed qualified blacks from juries. Prosecutors deny the charge, but the 3rd Circuit has agreed to hear Abu-Jamal's lawyers argue the point at a scheduled May 17 hearing.
"I'm very happy with the ruling because had the DA's motion been granted, it would have delayed things," Abu-Jamal's lead lawyer, Robert R. Bryan, told The Associated Press.
"There would have been a denial of justice and we want this case to move forward as scheduled," Bryan said.
Faulkner, 25, was killed after he pulled over Abu-Jamal's brother on Dec. 9, 1981. Abu-Jamal was found at the scene near the gun and later confessed, Burns said.
His writings and taped speeches from prison have made him a cause celebre, leaving him with a melange of vocal supporters, from black activists to Hollywood celebrities to death-row opponents. The French have named a street after him.
Third Circuit judges Theodore A. McKee, D. Michael Fisher and Richard L. Nygaard were also recused from the case, the order said.
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