[NYTr] Legal update and news on Mumia Abu-Jamal

[All the News That Doesn't Fit]

Workers World - Nov 25, 2007
http://www.workers.org/2007/us/mumia-1129/

Legal update and news on Mumia Abu-Jamal

[Following are excerpts from information sent out by Attorney Robert R.
Bryan, lead counsel for Mumia Abu-Jamal, on Nov. 14, 2007]

Dear Friends:

There are many developments on the legal and other fronts concerning my
client, Mumia Abu-Jamal. The following are the highlights:

PEN membership—Mumia has been accepted into the membership of PEN, the
worldwide human-rights organization of prominent writers. This is a
great honor. He was thrilled upon learning that the application I filed
on his behalf last spring was granted. The recognition from his peers
is well deserved.

In a quarter of a century of being locked up in a small cell on
Pennsylvania’s death row, Mumia’s literary output has been prodigious.
He has written five outstanding books that are published in various
languages, and also writes weekly commentaries that are published and
broadcast internationally.

PEN was founded in 1921 to dispel national, ethnic and racial hatred,
to promote understanding among all countries, and defend the freedom to
write. PEN American Center, into which Mumia has been accepted, is the
largest of the 145 centers in 104 countries of International PEN. It
exists to fight for freedom of expression, represent the conscience of
world literature, and foster friendship and intellectual co-operation
among writers everywhere. It is the world’s oldest human rights
organization and also the oldest international literary group.

The support provided by Alice Walker, E.L. Doctorow, Bell Chevigny and
other members of the PEN American Center, New York, was invaluable.

Bishop Desmond Tutu—On Oct. 23, Bishop Desmond Tutu met with Mumia.
Later that afternoon Mumia expressed to me how touched and humbled he
was by meeting with this wonderful person, who received the Nobel Peace
Price in 1984 and the Albert Schweitzer Prize for Humanitarianism in
1986. Mumia is particularly grateful to Martha Conley, Esq., of
Pittsburgh, who initiated and arranged the visit, drove Bishop Tutu and
his assistant to the prison, and joined them in the visit on death row.
Last week Bishop Tutu issued the following statement on Nov. 5
concerning Mumia and capital punishment: “I oppose the death penalty on
principle in every case and I support the plea for a retrial for Mumia
Abu-Jamal.”

Legal developments—Last month the prosecution submitted a Notice of
Supplemental Authority with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third
Circuit, Philadelphia, arguing that a recent ruling and related
decisions by the U.S. Supreme Court affects the pending issues
pertaining to the death penalty and racism in jury selection.
Consequently on Nov. 1, 2007, we filed a Reply to Notice of
Supplemental Authority, explaining with legal analysis that the
contentions of opposing counsel should be rejected because they are
without merit and do not alter the major constitutional violations that
occurred in this case.

I remain in contact with the court. It is not known exactly when there
will be a federal decision. If the court follows the law and the U.S.
Constitution, we will win. In my experience of successfully litigating
well over a hundred capital murder cases at trial and on appeal, I know
that courts are not always just. They can make terribly tragic
mistakes. Nevertheless, I have not seen a case more riddled with such
significant constitutional violations, racism, fraud, and unfairness.
My goal remains to achieve a reversal of the conviction, and at a new
jury trial win a jury acquittal so that Mumia can go home to his
family—a free person.

“In Prison My Whole Life,” British film on Mumia—On Oct. 25, the new
documentary film, “In Prison My Whole Life,” premiered simultaneously
at the London Film Festival and Rome Film Festival. It is a superb
movie which does much to expose the many wrongs including racism and
politics that have infected the case from the outset, the American
legal system, and our society. Amnesty International is officially
supporting the film. The picture is hard hitting and reveals the death
penalty for what it is: legalized murder. Mumia and I are indebted to
Colin and Livia Giuggioli Firth, along with Marc Evans, William
Francome, Nick Goodwin Self, Katie Green, and the others who had the
courage to make this film and tell the truth.

New French book on Mumia—An excellent book on Mumia was published on
Sept.15 in France. It is “Mumia Abu-Jamal, un homme libre dans le
couloir de la mort,” by Claude Guillaumaud-Pujol, with a foreword by
Robert Meeropol, son of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg and founder of
Rosenberg Fund for Children. Claude is deeply involved in the
Collectif, a group of over 80 French organizations that aggressively
support our campaign for a new and fair trial for Mumia and his
freedom. She knows Mumia well and last visited with him on Nov. 11.
Claude has donated her book to help in the struggle for Mumia’s
freedom. Mumia says “the book is beautiful.” It can be purchased though
various booksellers in France.

Guardian (England) article: “I Spend My Days Preparing for Life, Not
for Death”—Recently there was an excellent article in the Guardian
newspaper. It concerns a fascinating death row interview with Mumia,
and can be found at www.guardian.co.uk.

Tax-deductible donations to Mumia’s legal defense—My office continues
to receive extensive e-mail from people confused as to how and where
they may send donations for Mumia’s legal defense. With Mumia’s
authorization, a process exists which guarantees that all donations in
the U.S. go only to the legal defense. The contributions are
tax-deductible. Checks should be made payable to the National Lawyers
Guild Foundation (indicate “Mumia” on the bottom left), and mailed to:
Committee to Save Mumia Abu-Jamal, P.O. Box 2012, New York, NY
10159-2012.

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