WORLD DAY AGAINST THE DEATH PENALTY : USA 10-10-10
WE DEMAND 100% ABOLITION OF THE DEATH PENALTY NOW! NO EXCEPTIONS (INCLUDING MUMIA ABU-JAMAL)!
Several key members of US anti-death penalty organizations have recently made a move to exclude Mumia Abu-Jamal from the movement to abolish the death penalty, arguing that Mumia's inclusion alienated potential law enforcement supporters of the abolition movement!!! This position caused an international uproar. October 9th will be a reaffirmation of a real and unifying abolition movement: 100% ABOLITION! NO EXCEPTIONS!
BE IN PHILADELPHIA SATURDAY, OCTOBER 9
9 AM
RALLY AT THE FRATERNAL ORDER OF POLICE HEADQUARTERS (longtime fighters for executions and perpetrators of terrorism against those who fight for justice)
(Broad Street and Springfield Gardens)
10 AM
MARCH BEGINS
11:30
INDOOR RALLY BEGINS
LA FAMILIA
1310 North Broad Street
Scheduled Participants:
International representatives
Former Death Row Prisoners
Journalist Linn Washington
And many others
Sponsors: World Coalition Against the Death Penalty, Texas Coalition Group Texas Death Penalty Abolition Movement, Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty, Campaign to End the Death Penalty, International Concerned Family and Friends of Mumia Abu-Jamal, International Action Center, Witness to Innocence (Philadelphia), Exonorees from Death Row.
NYC BUS INFO: Arrange purchase(212) 330-8029
BUSES LEAVE 6:30 AM, 33rd & 8th Ave.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Monday, August 09, 2010
Legal Update
There are new developments regarding Mumia Abu-Jamal, the journalist who has been on Pennsylvania's death row for nearly three decades.
Federal Litigation: A major step has been taken in the ongoing litigation to save my client's life. On July 28 we filed the Brief on Remand from the Supreme Court of the United States, in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, Philadelphia. (Abu-Jamal v. Beard, No. 01-9014.) It is attached. At stake is whether Mumia will be executed, or granted a new jury trial on the question of the death penalty. We previously won on this issue, but early this year the Supreme Court ordered that the case be again reviewed by the federal court.
Petition to President Barack Obama (Mumia Abu-Jamal and the Global Abolition of the Death Penalty): Over 23,000 people from around the world have signed the petition, including three Nobel Prize winners. We need many more for this to benefit Mumia. Some of the signers are: Desmond Tutu, South Africa (Nobel Peace Prize, 1984); Günter Grass, Germany (Nobel Prize in Literature, 1999); Elfriede Jelinek, Austria (Nobel Prize in Literature, 2004); Danielle Mitterrand, Paris (former First Lady of France); Fatima Bhutto, Pakistan (writer); Colin Firth (Academy Award Best-Actor nominee, 2010); Noam Chomsky, MIT (philosopher & author); Ed Asner (actor); Mike Farrell (actor); Robert Meeropol (son of Julius & Ethel Rosenberg, executed in 1953); Fatima Bhutto, Pakistan (writer); Noam Chomsky, MIT (philosopher & author); Ed Asner (actor); Mike Farrell (actor); Michael Radford (director of the Oscar winning film Il Postino); members of the European Parliament; members of the German Bundestag; European Association of Lawyers for Democracy & World Human Rights; & Reporters Without Borders, Paris.
How to Help: For information on how to help, both by signing the Obama petition & donating funds, please go to Mumia's website (http://www.MumiaLegalDefense.org).
Conclusion: Mumia is in great danger. I will not stop until he is saved.
Yours very truly,Robert R. Bryan
Law Offices of Robert R. Bryan2088 Union Street, Suite 4San Francisco, California 94123-4117
Lead counsel for Mumia Abu-Jamal
http://www.MumiaLegalDefense.org
Federal Litigation: A major step has been taken in the ongoing litigation to save my client's life. On July 28 we filed the Brief on Remand from the Supreme Court of the United States, in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, Philadelphia. (Abu-Jamal v. Beard, No. 01-9014.) It is attached. At stake is whether Mumia will be executed, or granted a new jury trial on the question of the death penalty. We previously won on this issue, but early this year the Supreme Court ordered that the case be again reviewed by the federal court.
Petition to President Barack Obama (Mumia Abu-Jamal and the Global Abolition of the Death Penalty): Over 23,000 people from around the world have signed the petition, including three Nobel Prize winners. We need many more for this to benefit Mumia. Some of the signers are: Desmond Tutu, South Africa (Nobel Peace Prize, 1984); Günter Grass, Germany (Nobel Prize in Literature, 1999); Elfriede Jelinek, Austria (Nobel Prize in Literature, 2004); Danielle Mitterrand, Paris (former First Lady of France); Fatima Bhutto, Pakistan (writer); Colin Firth (Academy Award Best-Actor nominee, 2010); Noam Chomsky, MIT (philosopher & author); Ed Asner (actor); Mike Farrell (actor); Robert Meeropol (son of Julius & Ethel Rosenberg, executed in 1953); Fatima Bhutto, Pakistan (writer); Noam Chomsky, MIT (philosopher & author); Ed Asner (actor); Mike Farrell (actor); Michael Radford (director of the Oscar winning film Il Postino); members of the European Parliament; members of the German Bundestag; European Association of Lawyers for Democracy & World Human Rights; & Reporters Without Borders, Paris.
How to Help: For information on how to help, both by signing the Obama petition & donating funds, please go to Mumia's website (http://www.MumiaLegalDefense.org).
Conclusion: Mumia is in great danger. I will not stop until he is saved.
Yours very truly,Robert R. Bryan
Law Offices of Robert R. Bryan2088 Union Street, Suite 4San Francisco, California 94123-4117
Lead counsel for Mumia Abu-Jamal
http://www.MumiaLegalDefense.org
In support of Mumia: Puerto Rican Coalition Against the Death Penalty statement
August 5, 2010
Statement of the Puerto Rican Coalition Against the Death Penalty
regarding the Campaign for Mumia Abu Jamal
and the Fourth World Congress Against the Death Penalty
During the last weeks, some abolitionist organizations and activists have approached us to ask
for our position in the matter of Mumia Abu Jamal and the communication issued by some
abolitionist organizations in the United States regarding the role of his campaign in the Fourth
World Congress celebrated last February in Geneva.
The Puerto Rican Coalition Against the Death Penalty (PRCADP), as decided in a meeting of its
Steering Committee held on August 2, 2010, states as follows:
Statement of the Puerto Rican Coalition Against the Death Penalty
regarding the Campaign for Mumia Abu Jamal
and the Fourth World Congress Against the Death Penalty
During the last weeks, some abolitionist organizations and activists have approached us to ask
for our position in the matter of Mumia Abu Jamal and the communication issued by some
abolitionist organizations in the United States regarding the role of his campaign in the Fourth
World Congress celebrated last February in Geneva.
The Puerto Rican Coalition Against the Death Penalty (PRCADP), as decided in a meeting of its
Steering Committee held on August 2, 2010, states as follows:
- PRCADP endorses the campaign for Mumia Abu Jamal and recognizes the important role of Mumia in the abolitionist struggle;
- PRCADP had no participation, neither was consulted, in the petition issued by US abolitionist organizations members of the Steering Committee of the World Coalition Against the Death Penalty (including the Puerto Rico Bar Association) about this concern; and
- PRCADP strongly calls for unity, respect and solidarity between abolitionist organizations in the United States, as well as internationally.
Tuesday, August 03, 2010
Be in Philly for MOVE Sat., August 7!
PLEASE SUPPORT! FREE THE MOVE 9!!
From icffmaj@aol.com:
This call comes from Ramona Africa. New Yorkers, please call the Hotline at 212-330-8029 to travel with the NY Coalition to Free Mumia Abu-Jamal.
ONA MOVE, All!
As I'm sure you all know, this August 8th marks 32 years of unjust imprisonment for The MOVE 9. Our main activity is to pressure the parole board about their release but we won't let August 8th go by without reminding people what that day represents. We will gather at 11th and Market Sts. from 11:00 am until 3:00 pm on Saturday August 7th. We will have info to distribute to people and will be available to talk to people about The MOVE 9. Hope to see you there--Ramona
Just to remind folks of the August 8, 1978 events, below is an August 8, 2004 Mumia Commentary. You can hear this in Mumia's voice at http://www.prisonradio.org/maj/maj_8_8_04move.html or subscribe to Mumia's commentaries at his podcast website or on iTunes.
The Move 9: 26 years in Hell
WHAT A FAMILY WE ARE WHEN WE'RE ONE FORCE, ONE UNIT, A POWERFUL FORCE THAT NO SYSTEM CAN EQUAL, FOR WE HAVE THE POWER OF LIFE AS OUR ALLY, MY MAMA, OUR MAMA, THE LIFE FORCE OF MOVE, NO DIVISIONAL THING CAN EVER DEFEAT US AS LONG AS WE HONOR THE GRIP OF THE FAMILY ....
John Africa, MOVE Founder
For 26 years now, a group of revolutionaries known as the MOVE 9, have been encaged within prisons all across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, all of whom face continuing sentences of 100 years, despite evidence of their innocence.
These men and women are all members of the MOVE Organization, who were captured, dragged through a show trial in Philadelphia Courts, and sentenced to a century in cages by the notorious Judge Edwin Malmed, who when asked, in a talk show radio interview to name those who were guilty of the crime of murder (of which all 9 were convicted), replied, "I haven't the faintest idea."
This writer knows this because it was I who asked him that question, and I who received the astonishing answer, on the air!
He would tell other reporters, "They were tried as a family, and I sentenced them as a family." It would seem that a more accurate response would be, 'I sentenced them because they *are* a family.'
They were convicted of being united, not in crime, but in rebellion against the system and in resistance to the armed assaults of the State.
They were convicted of being MOVE members.
Here's why I say that: On August 8th, 1978, when the police unleashed an armed assault on MOVE's home and headquarters in West Philadelphia, it ended the assault with the arrest of not 9 young men and women, but 12. Several of the women, young mothers, were, quite understandably, terrorized by the kind of violence they saw by the police, and quietly left the MOVE Organization. As soon as they renounced their memberships in MOVE, charges against them were dropped! Why, unless their very 'crimes' were nothing more than membership?
Understand that none of the MOVE women were charged with weapons offenses, yet all of them were sentenced identically to the men, who were given weapons charges.
For 26 years, both MOVE men and women of the MOVE 9, have continued their work, by living according to the Teachings of John Africa, despite their cruel incarcerations. Many are indeed Ministers of that Teaching, and work to counsel people in the prisons who are trying to withstand the onslaught of repression.
On March 13th, 1998, the brave and brilliant Merle Africa had her life stolen by 20 years in state dungeons. To many, many women in the prison system, she is remembered for her warmth and caring, but also for her spirit of resistance to prison injustices. Her death did not stop her spirit, which radiated through all who knew her, whether in, or out, of prison.
On August 8th, 1978, MOVE folks were protecting themselves from a vicious, premeditated, police and paramilitary act of urban war upon their home and offices. Under what America claims is its 'law', one has an alleged right to self-defense. But, when people actually do so, they are given all kinds of nasty names by the corporate media.
Not surprisingly, when the State hurts people, when they shoot people, when they *bomb* people (as they did to MOVE on May 13th, 1985!) they are never called nasty names. They are simply 'doing their jobs.' That's OK.
MOVE members from the August 8th attack are still fighting for their freedom 26 years later. They are: Janine Africa, Phil Africa, Janet Africa, Delbert Africa, Debbie Africa, Mike Africa, Chuck Africa and Eddie Africa.
Surely, 26 years is long enough! Join the Movement to Free the MOVE 9. Join the growing Friends of MOVE, which are literally, people from around the world.
Copyright 2004 Mumia Abu-Jamal
From icffmaj@aol.com:
This call comes from Ramona Africa. New Yorkers, please call the Hotline at 212-330-8029 to travel with the NY Coalition to Free Mumia Abu-Jamal.
ONA MOVE, All!
As I'm sure you all know, this August 8th marks 32 years of unjust imprisonment for The MOVE 9. Our main activity is to pressure the parole board about their release but we won't let August 8th go by without reminding people what that day represents. We will gather at 11th and Market Sts. from 11:00 am until 3:00 pm on Saturday August 7th. We will have info to distribute to people and will be available to talk to people about The MOVE 9. Hope to see you there--Ramona
Just to remind folks of the August 8, 1978 events, below is an August 8, 2004 Mumia Commentary. You can hear this in Mumia's voice at http://www.prisonradio.org/maj/maj_8_8_04move.html or subscribe to Mumia's commentaries at his podcast website or on iTunes.
The Move 9: 26 years in Hell
WHAT A FAMILY WE ARE WHEN WE'RE ONE FORCE, ONE UNIT, A POWERFUL FORCE THAT NO SYSTEM CAN EQUAL, FOR WE HAVE THE POWER OF LIFE AS OUR ALLY, MY MAMA, OUR MAMA, THE LIFE FORCE OF MOVE, NO DIVISIONAL THING CAN EVER DEFEAT US AS LONG AS WE HONOR THE GRIP OF THE FAMILY ....
John Africa, MOVE Founder
For 26 years now, a group of revolutionaries known as the MOVE 9, have been encaged within prisons all across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, all of whom face continuing sentences of 100 years, despite evidence of their innocence.
These men and women are all members of the MOVE Organization, who were captured, dragged through a show trial in Philadelphia Courts, and sentenced to a century in cages by the notorious Judge Edwin Malmed, who when asked, in a talk show radio interview to name those who were guilty of the crime of murder (of which all 9 were convicted), replied, "I haven't the faintest idea."
This writer knows this because it was I who asked him that question, and I who received the astonishing answer, on the air!
He would tell other reporters, "They were tried as a family, and I sentenced them as a family." It would seem that a more accurate response would be, 'I sentenced them because they *are* a family.'
They were convicted of being united, not in crime, but in rebellion against the system and in resistance to the armed assaults of the State.
They were convicted of being MOVE members.
Here's why I say that: On August 8th, 1978, when the police unleashed an armed assault on MOVE's home and headquarters in West Philadelphia, it ended the assault with the arrest of not 9 young men and women, but 12. Several of the women, young mothers, were, quite understandably, terrorized by the kind of violence they saw by the police, and quietly left the MOVE Organization. As soon as they renounced their memberships in MOVE, charges against them were dropped! Why, unless their very 'crimes' were nothing more than membership?
Understand that none of the MOVE women were charged with weapons offenses, yet all of them were sentenced identically to the men, who were given weapons charges.
For 26 years, both MOVE men and women of the MOVE 9, have continued their work, by living according to the Teachings of John Africa, despite their cruel incarcerations. Many are indeed Ministers of that Teaching, and work to counsel people in the prisons who are trying to withstand the onslaught of repression.
On March 13th, 1998, the brave and brilliant Merle Africa had her life stolen by 20 years in state dungeons. To many, many women in the prison system, she is remembered for her warmth and caring, but also for her spirit of resistance to prison injustices. Her death did not stop her spirit, which radiated through all who knew her, whether in, or out, of prison.
On August 8th, 1978, MOVE folks were protecting themselves from a vicious, premeditated, police and paramilitary act of urban war upon their home and offices. Under what America claims is its 'law', one has an alleged right to self-defense. But, when people actually do so, they are given all kinds of nasty names by the corporate media.
Not surprisingly, when the State hurts people, when they shoot people, when they *bomb* people (as they did to MOVE on May 13th, 1985!) they are never called nasty names. They are simply 'doing their jobs.' That's OK.
MOVE members from the August 8th attack are still fighting for their freedom 26 years later. They are: Janine Africa, Phil Africa, Janet Africa, Delbert Africa, Debbie Africa, Mike Africa, Chuck Africa and Eddie Africa.
Surely, 26 years is long enough! Join the Movement to Free the MOVE 9. Join the growing Friends of MOVE, which are literally, people from around the world.
Copyright 2004 Mumia Abu-Jamal
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