Sunday, March 25, 2007

THE BATTLE IS ON! FROM NOW UNTIL MAY 17 UNTIL VICTORY!

Upcoming Events:


APRIL 15:
HIP HOP BENEFIT FOR MUMIA ABU-JAMAL AND THE MOVE 9 IN NYC

"MUMIA 911 PART II"

Featuring: A-Alikes, C Rayz Walz, Imessiah Soul, Queen Godis, Seeds of Wisdom, Pat-riot

Sunday, April 15
The Remote Lounge, 327 Bowery St, NYC
(Bet. East 3rd and East 2nd Streets)
8pm, Doors Open At 7:15
$12 At The Door


APRIL 24:
Mumia's Birthday with Danny Glover, Sonia Sanchez, Delacy Davis (of Black Cops Against Police Brutality), Journalist Linn Washington, Exonerated Death-Row Inmate/Activist Harold Amin Washington, Ron Hampton (of National Association Of Black Police), and Attorney Michael Coard.

LOCATION: Cleff Club on Broad at Fitzwater
Doors Open at 6 PM
Film Showing of "Framing an Execution" with Danny Glover at 6:30 PM
Speakers will begin at 7:30 Sharp!

On May 17th Mumia's case will be reviewed by The Third Circuit Court Of Appeals in Philadelphia to decide whether Mumia gets a new trial, life in prison without parole, or execution. The whole world is watching how The Third Circuit will rule. We must let them know where we stand: Only Mumia's release or a new trial is acceptable! APRIL 24th WILL BE AN URGENT ORGANIZING EVENT LEADING UP TO THE MAY 17th ORAL ARGUMENTS.


APRIL 28:
A U.S. Delegation will visit the French city of Saint-Denis on the one year anniversary of the naming of one of its streets in honor of Mumia Abu-Jamal. The delegation will be honoring the activists and mayors of that city for their steadfast support of Mumia in the face of both US and French right wing and police attacks on them.

MAY 11:
The NYC Writers Union will host an event to honor Mumia. Details to be announced.

MAY 17:
ALL OUT IN PHILADELPHIA IN SUPPORT OF MUMIA!
On May 17th Mumia's case will be reviewed by The Third Circuit Court Of Appeals in Philadelphia to decide whether Mumia gets a new trial, life in prison without parole, or execution. The whole world is watching how The Third Circuit will rule. We must let them know where we stand: Only Mumia's release or a new trial is acceptable! MAY 17 WILL BE THE START OF AN ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL STAGE IN THE STRUGGLE FOR MUMIA'S LIFE AND FREEDOM.


Free Mumia Abu-Jamal Coalition (NYC) • info@freemumia.com • (212) 330-8029

Saturday, March 24, 2007

Legal Update

From: Atty. Robert R. Bryan

March 22, 2007

Legal Update

Re: Mumia Abu-Jamal v. Martin Horn,
Pennsylvania Director of Corrections
U.S. Court of Appeals Nos. 01-9014,
02-9001 (death penalty)


Dear Friends,

Today notification was received that oral argument in the case of my client, Mumia Abu-Jamal, is scheduled for Thursday, May 17, 9:30 am, in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, Ceremonial Courtroom, 1st Floor, U.S. Courthouse, 6th and Market Streets, Philadelphia. The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc., and the National Lawyers Guild, which have filed amicus curiae (friend of the court) briefs, are also participating.

The case concerns Mr. Abu-Jamal's right to a fair trial, the struggle against the death penalty, and the political repression of an outspoken journalist. Racism and politics are threads that have run through this case since his 1981 arrest. The complex issues under consideration, which are of great constitutional significance, include:

-- Whether Mr. Abu-Jamal was denied the right to due process of law and a fair trial under the Fifth, Sixth and Fourteenth Amendments because of the prosecutor's "appeal-after-appeal" argument which encouraged the jury to disregard the presumption of innocence and reasonable doubt, and err on the side of guilt.

-- Whether the prosecution's use of peremptory challenges to exclude African Americans from sitting on the jury violated Mr. Abu-Jamal's right to due process and equal protection of the law under the Sixth and Fourteenth Amendments, and contravened Batson v. Kentucky, 476 U.S. 79 (1986).

-- Whether the jury instructions and verdict form that resulted in the death penalty deprived Mr. Abu-Jamal of rights guaranteed by the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments to due process of law, equal protection of the law, and not to be subjected to cruel and unusual punishment, and violated Mills v. Maryland 486 U.S. 367 (1988), since the judge precluded the jurors from considering any mitigating evidence unless they all agreed on the existence of a particular circumstance.

-- Whether Mr. Abu-Jamal was denied due process and equal protection of the law under the Sixth and Fourteenth Amendments during post-conviction hearings as a result of the bias and racism of Judge Albert F. Sabo which included the comment that he was "going to help 'em fry the nigger."

Recently the Phildelphia District Attorney's Office sent a letter to the court suggesting that the entire Third Circuit should disqualify itself from deciding the case of my client. We filed a reply strongly objecting to this absurd request, explaining that the positionof opposing counsel was "utterly unfounded and should be rejected." On March 10 the court rebuked the prosecution, advising that it had failed to follow proper procedure and thus no action would be taken.

Professor Judith L. Ritter, associate counsel, and I are in this case to win a new and fair trial for Mr. Abu-Jamal. The goal is for our client to be free. Nevertheless, he remains in great danger. if all is lost, he will be executed.

Your interest in this struggle for human rights and against the death penalty is appreciated.

Yours very truly,

Robert R. Bryan
Lead counsel for Mumia Abu-Jamal

Friday, March 23, 2007

Oral Arguments for Mumia in the Third Circuit Court of Appeals will finally begin on May 17th

Oral arguments for Mumia in the Third Circuit Court of Appeals will finally begin on:

May 17th, 9:30 AM
at the US Courthouse in Philadelphia

PLEASE DOWNLOAD THE LEGAL UPDATE REGARDING THIS IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENT IN MUMIA'S CASE at www.freemumia.com/pdfs/3.22.07Update.pdf