Mumia Abu-Jamal a former Black Panther and news commentator, has as of December 09th, been on Death Row for 25 years. The evidence in his favor, is an argument in itself against capital punishment. It would be unlikely, that someone who is caucasian and connected, would be in prison, with as much evidence as Mumia has in his favor.
On December 09, 1981 Mumia was driving his cab in Philadelphia, on the corner of 13 and Locust St, when he heard gunshots. He saw people running including his brother. He got out of his cab to help him, and was critically wounded in the chest. Near him was wounded Officer Daniel Fulkner.
Witnesses
The main witness Robert Chobert was given favors by the prosecution in exchange for his testimony. He later denied seeing Mumia at the scene of the shooting.
Cynthia White a prostitite, was threatened by police in exchange for testimony.
Ballistics
Officer Faulkner was shot woth a .44 bullet, Mumia's gun is a .38. His hands were never tested for residue.
The Confession
Supposedly Mumia confessed in the hospital. He was shot in the lung. The confession was manufactured at a police roundtable meeting.
The Bigger Confession
In 2001 Arnold Beverly, confessed to being the shooter. He passed three polygraph tests. He admitted to being paid to kill Officer Faulkner. Officer Faulkner was interferring with police graft and payoffs. At the time, the Philadelphia police were being investigated for corruption by three different panels.
This is a brief summary to start the discussion. He was sentenced to die in 2001, only the mass movement of protest around the world stopped the execution. It is time for another.
RENEGADE EYE
12 comments:
Give it up.. Mumia is GUILTY as sin. The facts are there for all to see.
If the facts are as you outline them RE, then this is a great travesty. The wider issue is that such doubt in and of itself is an indictment of the death penalty. Nietzsche implored us all to be masters of ourselves and not to succumb to the petty ressentiment that resides in the corners of our sickly slavish minds. Only the strong in spirit and character know that vengeance is the sign of a deficient soul. Europe has discovered that long ago...
Keep up the fight RE!
I met a Spart last wednesday who gave me a flier about this and then told me China is Socialist. Now I have a bad impression of this situation lol.
This post is interesting though. I previously had thought he was guilty beyond a doubt because of witnesses, I guess this challenges what I had previously thought...
The information you cite is largely incorrect. The info about the caliber of the gun the killed Faulkner was ruled a .38 by the defense teams own witness and that is just one example. I would emplore you to look deeper than just the pro-Jamal propaganda before presuming the truth
The transcripts are available at danielfaulkner.com
My blog is at antimove.blogspot.com
He deserves a new trial at the very least.
Sad to read this story. Even if there are some inconsistencies in the evidence, this type of thing probably happens more than anyone realizes.
It is always amusing (to myself anyway) how this country can rail against the jailing of political dissidents in other countries but does nothing to free its own political prisoners, Mumia is just one example, Leonard Peltier is another.
If either of the two were wealthy and Caucasian neither would be in prison, but both dared to speak out in an effective manner about the injustice that is inherent in this society and as such no amount of evidence to the contrary will free them.
We claim to be the land of the free but some people are more free than others...
Thanks for highlighting this case.
I organised a joint meeting with amnesty international on this a couple of years back (in the UK)
People all over the world know about this case and the way that the US government has treated those who fight against injustice.
I recommend Mumia's prison writings - they're really excellent
Tony: Your blog calls Lynne Stewart a terrorist. I'm sure the walls of your home are extra reinforced, out of fear of Lynne Stewart.
I'm glad that you posted. I'd like to see the full argument.
If my post is half correct, Mumia would be presumed innocent.
It would be difficult to prempt the outcome of this matter.
Whether innocent or guilty, Mumia has saved at least one fellow 'brother' from the gallows - O.J. Simpson. Mumia's case made it easier for a black jury in L.A. to believe that there could have been a police conspiracy against a black man...
Dear Ren,
I think you may have accidentally misread some facts. Mumia was put on death row in 1982. In 2001 federal Judege Yohn overturned the death sentence, however upheld every aspect of his conviction. The point is that he can be put back on to death row at any time. It was mass protests in 1996 and 1999 that prompted his stay of execution. Unfortunetly these protests have been demobilized by reformist faith in "new trials" for Mumia, faith in the same criminal injustice system that framed him.
Tony Allen is a disgruntled ex-Move member who now seeks to discredit anybody who defends Move or Mumia against capitlist state attack. I cannot say anything about Tony's own experiences, those are his own and I have no right to say what he may have experienced, and I am sorry if he was ever personally hurt. However, his politics go right to unapologetic praise of the injustice system and the racist cops who constantly frame up minorities and the poor and defend the property and priorities of the rich.
I just had the thought about OJ Simpson and Mumia. Cop misconduct in both cases and look at the drastic differences in outcome. I do not think that Mumia's case influenced OJ's case however, that was done by the LAPD on a daily basis.
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