12 December 2011. A World to Win News Service. Following are excerpts from an article by C. Clark Kissinger in Revolution, newspaper of the Revolutionary Communist Party, USA.
December 9 marked the 30th anniversary of the night that Philadelphia police shot, beat, and arrested the revolutionary journalist Mumia Abu-Jamal. He was accused of shooting a police officer and swiftly convicted of murder and sentenced to death in a flagrantly unjust trial. He has now been sitting in solitary confinement on death row for 29 years. But two days before this anniversary, Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams announced that he was finally dropping the 30-year campaign to legally execute Mumia.
The DA's decision comes on the heels of the U.S. Supreme Court's refusal to hear any more appeals from the State of Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania has been trying for a decade to overturn a 2001 decision by a federal district court that Mumia's death sentence was unconstitutional because of misleading instructions to the jury by his trial judge.
While this means that Mumia will soon be transferred to general population in the state prison system to serve life without parole, the massive injustice of his conviction and incarceration remains. To millions around the globe, even one more day in prison for Mumia is an intolerable injustice. The political battle must continue to be waged to free Mumia from his unjust imprisonment. While the threat of a legal execution has now been lifted, it is important to be vigilant and keep up the fight to protect him and ensure that his voice continues to be heard. The authorities could try to make the situation worse for him behind bars, and even the threat of an extra-legal execution staged behind prison walls remains.
Posts mit dem Label Mumia Abu-Jamal werden angezeigt. Alle Posts anzeigen
Posts mit dem Label Mumia Abu-Jamal werden angezeigt. Alle Posts anzeigen
Montag, 19. Dezember 2011
Free Mumia Abu-Jamal!
Abu-Jamal wird nicht hingerichtet
„Wegen Polizistenmord wurde der US-Journalist Mumia Abu-Jamal 1982 zum
Tode verurteilt. 30 Jahre beschäftigte der Fall die Justiz - jetzt lässt
die Staatsanwaltschaft die Forderung nach der Todesstrafe fallen…“ Artikel
von Andreas Geldner in der FR online vom 7.12.2011
http://www.fr-online.de/politik/todesstrafe-in-den-usa-keine-todesstrafe-fuer-mumia-abu-jamal,1472596,11278328.html
Siehe dazu auch:
a) Todesstrafe gegen Mumia vom Tisch
„Vor wenigen Stunden bestätigte der Bezirksstaatsanwalt in Philadlphia,
USA, was vielen anderen seit Jahrzehnten klar ist: sie haben keine
Grundlage, um die Todesstrafe gegen den afroamerikanischen Journalisten
Mumia Abu-Jamal anzustreben. Der seit mehreren Jahrzehnten währende Kampf
um das Leben und die Freiheit von Mumia hat somit auch formal einen großen
Erfolg errungen: Die Todesstrafe gegen ihn ist nun vom Tisch…“ Meldung von
Markus Ossenwest vom 07.12.2011 bei indymedia
http://de.indymedia.org/2011/12/321478.shtml
b) Drei Jahrzehnte Isolation
30 Jahre Haft im Todestrakt wegen eines verfassungswidrigen Urteils sind
genug – für die sofortige Freilassung von Mumia Abu-Jamal. Artikel von
Dave Lindorff und Linn Washington Jr. In junge Welt vom 08.12.2011
http://www.jungewelt.de/2011/12-08/019.php
c) Am morgigen Freitag ist Mumias 30. Haftjahrestag. In den USA und
verschiedenen weiteren Ländern fordern Unterstützer_innen nun, ihn endlich
frei zu lassen. Siehe dazu die Soli-Seite „Freiheit für Mumia Abu-Jamal
http://www.freiheit-fuer-mumia.de/
„Wegen Polizistenmord wurde der US-Journalist Mumia Abu-Jamal 1982 zum
Tode verurteilt. 30 Jahre beschäftigte der Fall die Justiz - jetzt lässt
die Staatsanwaltschaft die Forderung nach der Todesstrafe fallen…“ Artikel
von Andreas Geldner in der FR online vom 7.12.2011
http://www.fr-online.de/politik/todesstrafe-in-den-usa-keine-todesstrafe-fuer-mumia-abu-jamal,1472596,11278328.html
Siehe dazu auch:
a) Todesstrafe gegen Mumia vom Tisch
„Vor wenigen Stunden bestätigte der Bezirksstaatsanwalt in Philadlphia,
USA, was vielen anderen seit Jahrzehnten klar ist: sie haben keine
Grundlage, um die Todesstrafe gegen den afroamerikanischen Journalisten
Mumia Abu-Jamal anzustreben. Der seit mehreren Jahrzehnten währende Kampf
um das Leben und die Freiheit von Mumia hat somit auch formal einen großen
Erfolg errungen: Die Todesstrafe gegen ihn ist nun vom Tisch…“ Meldung von
Markus Ossenwest vom 07.12.2011 bei indymedia
http://de.indymedia.org/2011/12/321478.shtml
b) Drei Jahrzehnte Isolation
30 Jahre Haft im Todestrakt wegen eines verfassungswidrigen Urteils sind
genug – für die sofortige Freilassung von Mumia Abu-Jamal. Artikel von
Dave Lindorff und Linn Washington Jr. In junge Welt vom 08.12.2011
http://www.jungewelt.de/2011/12-08/019.php
c) Am morgigen Freitag ist Mumias 30. Haftjahrestag. In den USA und
verschiedenen weiteren Ländern fordern Unterstützer_innen nun, ihn endlich
frei zu lassen. Siehe dazu die Soli-Seite „Freiheit für Mumia Abu-Jamal
http://www.freiheit-fuer-mumia.de/
Donnerstag, 19. Mai 2011
US: Court rules Mumia's death sentence illegal
2 May 2011. A World to Win News Service. An appeals court in the U.S. has reaffirmed its earlier ruling that the death sentence against Mumia Abu-Jamal is unconstitutional.
Mumia, a former Black Panther Party member, has been held in solitary confinement on death row for almost three decades since he was convicted of the 1981 killing of a policeman in the city of Philadelphia. The judge at that trial was overheard to say that he was going to help the police "fry the ni*ger." Mumia appealed his conviction to the US Supreme Court, which refused to hear his case, thus effectively ending his ability to win a new trial. When an appeals court set aside the death penalty verdict in his case two years ago, the local authorities went to the Supreme Court, which ordered the appeals court to reconsider. Now that appeals court has reaffirmed its decision, ruling once again that the judge gave the jury illegal instructions during the sentencing procedure that unfairly influenced the jury to opt for the death penalty. That these kinds of instructions are unconstitutional is not new; in fact, the Supreme Court outlawed them in 1988.
The appeals court ruled that the state of Pennsylvania, where Philadelphia is located, must either accept this latest decision or hold a new sentencing hearing within six months. That would require a new jury and a re-examination of evidence, something which the authorities on all levels in the US have done their best to prevent.
However, the state of Pennsylvania may go back to the Supreme Court in yet another effort to overturn the appeals court ruling. In that case, Mumia would remain on death row until the issue is settled. Even if he is not executed, his sentence would remain, keeping him in prison until he dies.
Mumia is locked in a small cell for 23 hours a day, and kept in chains and shackles when allowed out. He can speak to family and lawyers only through a Plexiglas window.
The Supreme Court refused to hear Mumia's earlier appeal that his conviction should be overturned because African-Americans were excluded from the jury. This goes against the Supreme Court's stance in another landmark decision, adding fuel to the observation among legal circles that the courts do not seem to apply the law to Mumia.
The appeals court that ruled on 26 April that the judge in this case acted illegally is the same court that earlier refused to grant Mumia a new trial because of the misconduct by the judge and prosecution. Again, the courts are demonstrating that political rather than legal considerations are what is keeping Mumia behind bars.
An international mass movement prevented his execution, which was first suspended in 1995. On the occasion of his 57th birthday on 24 April, demonstrations demanding his freedom were held in Brixton (London, UK); Marseilles, Rennes and Paris, France; as well as the U.S. On 30 April, the city of Saint Denis, a working class and immigrant suburb near Paris, held a ceremony celebrating the fifth anniversary of the naming of a city street after Mumia, attended by a delegation of Americans, including members of his legal defense team.
Mumia, a former Black Panther Party member, has been held in solitary confinement on death row for almost three decades since he was convicted of the 1981 killing of a policeman in the city of Philadelphia. The judge at that trial was overheard to say that he was going to help the police "fry the ni*ger." Mumia appealed his conviction to the US Supreme Court, which refused to hear his case, thus effectively ending his ability to win a new trial. When an appeals court set aside the death penalty verdict in his case two years ago, the local authorities went to the Supreme Court, which ordered the appeals court to reconsider. Now that appeals court has reaffirmed its decision, ruling once again that the judge gave the jury illegal instructions during the sentencing procedure that unfairly influenced the jury to opt for the death penalty. That these kinds of instructions are unconstitutional is not new; in fact, the Supreme Court outlawed them in 1988.
The appeals court ruled that the state of Pennsylvania, where Philadelphia is located, must either accept this latest decision or hold a new sentencing hearing within six months. That would require a new jury and a re-examination of evidence, something which the authorities on all levels in the US have done their best to prevent.
However, the state of Pennsylvania may go back to the Supreme Court in yet another effort to overturn the appeals court ruling. In that case, Mumia would remain on death row until the issue is settled. Even if he is not executed, his sentence would remain, keeping him in prison until he dies.
Mumia is locked in a small cell for 23 hours a day, and kept in chains and shackles when allowed out. He can speak to family and lawyers only through a Plexiglas window.
The Supreme Court refused to hear Mumia's earlier appeal that his conviction should be overturned because African-Americans were excluded from the jury. This goes against the Supreme Court's stance in another landmark decision, adding fuel to the observation among legal circles that the courts do not seem to apply the law to Mumia.
The appeals court that ruled on 26 April that the judge in this case acted illegally is the same court that earlier refused to grant Mumia a new trial because of the misconduct by the judge and prosecution. Again, the courts are demonstrating that political rather than legal considerations are what is keeping Mumia behind bars.
An international mass movement prevented his execution, which was first suspended in 1995. On the occasion of his 57th birthday on 24 April, demonstrations demanding his freedom were held in Brixton (London, UK); Marseilles, Rennes and Paris, France; as well as the U.S. On 30 April, the city of Saint Denis, a working class and immigrant suburb near Paris, held a ceremony celebrating the fifth anniversary of the naming of a city street after Mumia, attended by a delegation of Americans, including members of his legal defense team.
Donnerstag, 25. November 2010
U.S.: New danger to the life of Mumia Abu-Jamal
22 November 2010. A World to Win News Service. Following is an edited excerpt from an article by C. Clark Kissinger that appeared in the 21 November 2010 issue of Revolution, newspaper of the Revolutionary Communist Party, USA.
The largest courtroom of the federal Third Circuit Court of Appeals was packed with supporters of Mumia Abu-Jamal as a three judge panel heard the latest oral arguments in his case. Outside hundreds more marched and chanted. People from all over the Eastern United States were there, including a whole history class from Hunter College in New York. There were also delegations from France and Germany.
Mumia Abu-Jamal is one of the best known political prisoners in the world. Forces ranging from people of all walks of life to the European Parliament and Amnesty International have protested his unjust conviction. He has spent 27 years in isolation on death row, after being railroaded in a manifestly bogus trial. In 2001, a federal court refused to grant Mumia a new trial, but overturned his death sentence. Mumia has continued to fight his conviction, and the State of Pennsylvania has attempted in court to get the death penalty reinstated. This hearing was an attempt to reinstate Mumia's death penalty.
People were justifiably angry with the latest turn of events. This same federal appeals court had already thrown out the death sentence on Mumia in 2008 because the instructions given to the jury were in violation of well-established federal law. But now the U.S. Supreme Court, after an appeal by the state of Pennsylvania, had ordered the federal appeals court to reconsider their previous decision.
Casting a shadow over Mumia's whole appeal process has been the Anti-Terrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996 (signed into law by Bill Clinton). A big thrust of this law is making it more difficult for prisoners seeking to overturn illegal state court decisions in the federal courts. Under this law, it is not enough for Mumia to show that his death sentence was obtained through a violation of federal law – he has to show that it was obtained through an "unreasonable application of clearly established federal law." This wording is designed to give state courts "the benefit of the doubt" in pushing through executions.
Mumia was represented at the oral argument by Professor Judith Ritter of Widener University School of Law. Professor Ritter had successfully argued the issue of the jury instructions in the earlier 2008 oral arguments. In a carefully reasoned presentation she asked the court to sustain their previous finding that Mumia's death sentence be overturned as the new case cited by the Supreme Court did not apply.
While progressive legal observers remain hopeful that the Third Circuit panel will hold their ground and resist calls to reverse their previous decision, were that to happen the State of Pennsylvania can still convene a new jury and hold a new sentencing phase for the original conviction, in which Mumia could again be sentenced to death. Ever since Mumia's appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn his conviction was rejected, the State of Pennsylvania has been ferociously determined to execute Mumia.
No matter which way the current ruling goes, the losing side will undoubtedly appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court again. Also, there are still other legal issues concerning Mumia's sentencing that have never been ruled on. This means a considerable road ahead in court, but in a political climate that is much more reactionary than earlier years. A mass movement, reaching far and wide in society and around the world, was a crucial factor in stopping the rulers of this country from executing Mumia Abu-Jamal in the 1980s and '90s. It is ever more important that people must come together behind the demand to free Mumia Abu-Jamal.
The largest courtroom of the federal Third Circuit Court of Appeals was packed with supporters of Mumia Abu-Jamal as a three judge panel heard the latest oral arguments in his case. Outside hundreds more marched and chanted. People from all over the Eastern United States were there, including a whole history class from Hunter College in New York. There were also delegations from France and Germany.
Mumia Abu-Jamal is one of the best known political prisoners in the world. Forces ranging from people of all walks of life to the European Parliament and Amnesty International have protested his unjust conviction. He has spent 27 years in isolation on death row, after being railroaded in a manifestly bogus trial. In 2001, a federal court refused to grant Mumia a new trial, but overturned his death sentence. Mumia has continued to fight his conviction, and the State of Pennsylvania has attempted in court to get the death penalty reinstated. This hearing was an attempt to reinstate Mumia's death penalty.
People were justifiably angry with the latest turn of events. This same federal appeals court had already thrown out the death sentence on Mumia in 2008 because the instructions given to the jury were in violation of well-established federal law. But now the U.S. Supreme Court, after an appeal by the state of Pennsylvania, had ordered the federal appeals court to reconsider their previous decision.
Casting a shadow over Mumia's whole appeal process has been the Anti-Terrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996 (signed into law by Bill Clinton). A big thrust of this law is making it more difficult for prisoners seeking to overturn illegal state court decisions in the federal courts. Under this law, it is not enough for Mumia to show that his death sentence was obtained through a violation of federal law – he has to show that it was obtained through an "unreasonable application of clearly established federal law." This wording is designed to give state courts "the benefit of the doubt" in pushing through executions.
Mumia was represented at the oral argument by Professor Judith Ritter of Widener University School of Law. Professor Ritter had successfully argued the issue of the jury instructions in the earlier 2008 oral arguments. In a carefully reasoned presentation she asked the court to sustain their previous finding that Mumia's death sentence be overturned as the new case cited by the Supreme Court did not apply.
While progressive legal observers remain hopeful that the Third Circuit panel will hold their ground and resist calls to reverse their previous decision, were that to happen the State of Pennsylvania can still convene a new jury and hold a new sentencing phase for the original conviction, in which Mumia could again be sentenced to death. Ever since Mumia's appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn his conviction was rejected, the State of Pennsylvania has been ferociously determined to execute Mumia.
No matter which way the current ruling goes, the losing side will undoubtedly appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court again. Also, there are still other legal issues concerning Mumia's sentencing that have never been ruled on. This means a considerable road ahead in court, but in a political climate that is much more reactionary than earlier years. A mass movement, reaching far and wide in society and around the world, was a crucial factor in stopping the rulers of this country from executing Mumia Abu-Jamal in the 1980s and '90s. It is ever more important that people must come together behind the demand to free Mumia Abu-Jamal.
Donnerstag, 21. Januar 2010
Freiheit für Mumia Abu-Jamal!
Gerichtsentscheidung über Mumia Abu-Jamal
„Der US Supreme Court hat vor wenigen Stunden eine Entscheidung des 3.
Bundesberufungsgerichtes von 2008 aufgehoben, die damals die Todesstrafe
gegen Mumia ausschloss. Damit hat das Gericht einen "Mittelweg" zwischen
sofortiger Todesstrafe oder aber Abweisung derselben gewählt, zugleich
aber auch die Position der Staatsanwaltschaft gestärkt…“ Infos der
Mumia-Hörbuchgruppe vom 19.01.2010 bei indymedia
http://de.indymedia.org/2010/01/271233.shtml
Siehe dazu auch: Mumia weiter im Todestrakt – Kein Grund zur Entwarnung!
„Der Oberste Gerichtshof der USA hat entschieden – allerdings (noch) nicht
für eine baldige Hinrichtung von Mumia Abu-Jamal, sondern zunächst für
eine Zurückweisung des Falls an das 3. Bundesberufunsggericht. // WICHTIG:
DIE NOTFALLPROTESTE »Mumia 3 plus 12« sind ausgesetzt, um die weiteren
Schritte der Kampagne neu beraten zu können! Aber weil Mumia nach wie vor
zum Tode verurteilt ist und seine Gegner ihn weiterhin umbringen wollen,
läuft die Mobilisierung FREE MUMIA weiter, und natürlich geht es weiter um
die weltweite Abschaffung der Todesstrafe! (…) Weitere Artikel und
Stellungnahmen der Verteidigung und der Solidaritätsbewegung werden
folgen. Wir werden uns insbesondere mit den Falschmeldungen der
bürgerlichen Medien befassen, die am 19. Januar verbreitet haben, Mumia
bekäme angeblich einen »neuen Prozeß«. Leider stimmt das nicht, weil der
Supreme Court vom 3. Bundesberufungsgericht nur eine bessere juristische
Vorlage geliefert bekommen will, um Mumia schlußendlich doch hinrichten zu
können. Unterzeichnet vor allem weiter die Petition an Barack Obama…“
Bewertung der Entscheidung vom 19.01.10 bei freedom-now
http://www.freedom-now.de/news/artikel592.html
„Der US Supreme Court hat vor wenigen Stunden eine Entscheidung des 3.
Bundesberufungsgerichtes von 2008 aufgehoben, die damals die Todesstrafe
gegen Mumia ausschloss. Damit hat das Gericht einen "Mittelweg" zwischen
sofortiger Todesstrafe oder aber Abweisung derselben gewählt, zugleich
aber auch die Position der Staatsanwaltschaft gestärkt…“ Infos der
Mumia-Hörbuchgruppe vom 19.01.2010 bei indymedia
http://de.indymedia.org/2010/01/271233.shtml
Siehe dazu auch: Mumia weiter im Todestrakt – Kein Grund zur Entwarnung!
„Der Oberste Gerichtshof der USA hat entschieden – allerdings (noch) nicht
für eine baldige Hinrichtung von Mumia Abu-Jamal, sondern zunächst für
eine Zurückweisung des Falls an das 3. Bundesberufunsggericht. // WICHTIG:
DIE NOTFALLPROTESTE »Mumia 3 plus 12« sind ausgesetzt, um die weiteren
Schritte der Kampagne neu beraten zu können! Aber weil Mumia nach wie vor
zum Tode verurteilt ist und seine Gegner ihn weiterhin umbringen wollen,
läuft die Mobilisierung FREE MUMIA weiter, und natürlich geht es weiter um
die weltweite Abschaffung der Todesstrafe! (…) Weitere Artikel und
Stellungnahmen der Verteidigung und der Solidaritätsbewegung werden
folgen. Wir werden uns insbesondere mit den Falschmeldungen der
bürgerlichen Medien befassen, die am 19. Januar verbreitet haben, Mumia
bekäme angeblich einen »neuen Prozeß«. Leider stimmt das nicht, weil der
Supreme Court vom 3. Bundesberufungsgericht nur eine bessere juristische
Vorlage geliefert bekommen will, um Mumia schlußendlich doch hinrichten zu
können. Unterzeichnet vor allem weiter die Petition an Barack Obama…“
Bewertung der Entscheidung vom 19.01.10 bei freedom-now
http://www.freedom-now.de/news/artikel592.html
Freiheit für Mumia Abu-Jamal!
Gerichtsentscheidung über Mumia Abu-Jamal
„Der US Supreme Court hat vor wenigen Stunden eine Entscheidung des 3.
Bundesberufungsgerichtes von 2008 aufgehoben, die damals die Todesstrafe
gegen Mumia ausschloss. Damit hat das Gericht einen "Mittelweg" zwischen
sofortiger Todesstrafe oder aber Abweisung derselben gewählt, zugleich
aber auch die Position der Staatsanwaltschaft gestärkt…“ Infos der
Mumia-Hörbuchgruppe vom 19.01.2010 bei indymedia
http://de.indymedia.org/2010/01/271233.shtml
Siehe dazu auch: Mumia weiter im Todestrakt – Kein Grund zur Entwarnung!
„Der Oberste Gerichtshof der USA hat entschieden – allerdings (noch) nicht
für eine baldige Hinrichtung von Mumia Abu-Jamal, sondern zunächst für
eine Zurückweisung des Falls an das 3. Bundesberufunsggericht. // WICHTIG:
DIE NOTFALLPROTESTE »Mumia 3 plus 12« sind ausgesetzt, um die weiteren
Schritte der Kampagne neu beraten zu können! Aber weil Mumia nach wie vor
zum Tode verurteilt ist und seine Gegner ihn weiterhin umbringen wollen,
läuft die Mobilisierung FREE MUMIA weiter, und natürlich geht es weiter um
die weltweite Abschaffung der Todesstrafe! (…) Weitere Artikel und
Stellungnahmen der Verteidigung und der Solidaritätsbewegung werden
folgen. Wir werden uns insbesondere mit den Falschmeldungen der
bürgerlichen Medien befassen, die am 19. Januar verbreitet haben, Mumia
bekäme angeblich einen »neuen Prozeß«. Leider stimmt das nicht, weil der
Supreme Court vom 3. Bundesberufungsgericht nur eine bessere juristische
Vorlage geliefert bekommen will, um Mumia schlußendlich doch hinrichten zu
können. Unterzeichnet vor allem weiter die Petition an Barack Obama…“
Bewertung der Entscheidung vom 19.01.10 bei freedom-now
http://www.freedom-now.de/news/artikel592.html
„Der US Supreme Court hat vor wenigen Stunden eine Entscheidung des 3.
Bundesberufungsgerichtes von 2008 aufgehoben, die damals die Todesstrafe
gegen Mumia ausschloss. Damit hat das Gericht einen "Mittelweg" zwischen
sofortiger Todesstrafe oder aber Abweisung derselben gewählt, zugleich
aber auch die Position der Staatsanwaltschaft gestärkt…“ Infos der
Mumia-Hörbuchgruppe vom 19.01.2010 bei indymedia
http://de.indymedia.org/2010/01/271233.shtml
Siehe dazu auch: Mumia weiter im Todestrakt – Kein Grund zur Entwarnung!
„Der Oberste Gerichtshof der USA hat entschieden – allerdings (noch) nicht
für eine baldige Hinrichtung von Mumia Abu-Jamal, sondern zunächst für
eine Zurückweisung des Falls an das 3. Bundesberufunsggericht. // WICHTIG:
DIE NOTFALLPROTESTE »Mumia 3 plus 12« sind ausgesetzt, um die weiteren
Schritte der Kampagne neu beraten zu können! Aber weil Mumia nach wie vor
zum Tode verurteilt ist und seine Gegner ihn weiterhin umbringen wollen,
läuft die Mobilisierung FREE MUMIA weiter, und natürlich geht es weiter um
die weltweite Abschaffung der Todesstrafe! (…) Weitere Artikel und
Stellungnahmen der Verteidigung und der Solidaritätsbewegung werden
folgen. Wir werden uns insbesondere mit den Falschmeldungen der
bürgerlichen Medien befassen, die am 19. Januar verbreitet haben, Mumia
bekäme angeblich einen »neuen Prozeß«. Leider stimmt das nicht, weil der
Supreme Court vom 3. Bundesberufungsgericht nur eine bessere juristische
Vorlage geliefert bekommen will, um Mumia schlußendlich doch hinrichten zu
können. Unterzeichnet vor allem weiter die Petition an Barack Obama…“
Bewertung der Entscheidung vom 19.01.10 bei freedom-now
http://www.freedom-now.de/news/artikel592.html
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