Socialist Action /December 1999
Support Grows for Mumia as Federal Judge Reviews Case
By JEFF MACKLER
Philadelphia's daily newspapers carried banner headlines on Nov. 19,
when the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus announced its intention to
introduce into the state legislature a House Resolution for a new trial
for the innocent death row political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal.
This action by the Black elected officials comes in the face of a vicious
campaign waged by Pennsylvania Gov. Thomas Ridge and outgoing Philadelphia
Mayor Ed Rendell, with the assistance of the Fraternal Order of Police,
to hasten Jamal's execution.
The resolution is slated to go the House floor in January 2000, the first
such effort in the nation. A few months earlier, the U.S. Congressional
Black Caucus similarly endorsed Jamal's demand for a new trial.
Incarcerated for the past 18 years after being framed up for the murder
of Philadelphia police officer Daniel Faulkner, Jamal's struggle for justice
has won unprecedented support in the United States and internationally.
His case has become synonymous with the fight against the racist death penalty
and a racist criminal "justice" system that has placed almost
4000 people, the majority oppressed nationalities, on death row.
The case is now before Judge William H. Yohn Jr. of the Federal District
Court in Philadelphia and is being closely watched by human rights supporters
around the world. Yohn signed an order last month staying the second execution
warrant signed by Gov. Ridge.
"Law and order" politicians spread lies
Politically ambitious Thomas Ridge has signed more death warrants than
any governor in Pennsylvania's history. He is currently on the campaign
trail for the vice-presidential running-mate spot alongside Texas Gov. George
Bush Jr.
In a like manner, Philadelphia Mayor Ed Rendell, formerly a prosecutor
in Mumia's case, was appointed by Clinton as chair of the Democratic Party
National Committee.
These ruling-class politicians seek to advance their careers by hyping
their image as crime fighters, advocates of massive prison construction,
and advocates of the death penalty. Mumia's death has become the centerpiece
of their efforts.
In response, Mumia's supporters have organized protests at Ridge's public
appearances. Three hundred picketed a Los Angeles Ridge rally in early November.
The Clinton administration has made its view on the Jamal case well known.
Clinton seated Maureen Faulkner, the wife of the slain police officer, at
his table while he addressed a national convention of the Fraternal Order
of Police. The FOP, which has placed full-page ads in several newspapers
calling for Jamal's execution, regularly threatens Jamal's prominent supporters
by listing them on the FOP website boycott list.
The U.S. government itself intervened in the case when the State Department
prepared a lying written summary of the case following inquiries by Austrian
trade unionists last month at the U.S. embassy in Vienna.
The cover letter, signed by embassy political officer Katherina Gellner-Sweet,
spuriously stated, "Mr. Abu-Jamal's case has been thoroughly reviewed
by numerous judicial bodies, as well as by the United Nations. All have
concluded that his legal rights were not violated."
The attached State Department report makes charges against Mumia that
even Philadelphia police and prosecutors have not made, such as the claim
that Mumia "fired upon arresting officers." The State Department
document falsely asserts that Mumia's case has been ruled on by the federal
courts and that United Nations bodies have found his case to be without
merit.
Rage against the Machine
The drive to hasten the execution of Jamal is a direct response to the
impressive gains won by his defenders over the past several years.
Hundreds of thousands of youth are currently attending the national 20-city
concert tour of the popular band, Rage Against the Machine. The band, which
has just released two new songs that favorably refer to Mumia's case, make
it a point to invite a broad range of human and civil rights groups to set
up tables at their events covering Mumia's case.
The Northern California-based Mobilization to Free Mumia Abu-Jamal distributed
some 10,000 Mumia fact sheets at the Oakland Coliseum Rage concert on Nov.
19. Threats of police pickets and refusal to provide security for a number
of these concerts has further heightened interest in Mumia's struggle.
The National Network on Cuba (NNOC) conference in Seattle played a taped
speech by Mumia to its opening rally on Dec. 3. Mumia's speech welcomed
Cuban President Fidel Castro to the United States, although Castro's visit
was cancelled at the last minute. A huge banner with Mumia's picture was
placed prominently on the stage.
Mass mobilizations slated for spring
An impressive series of nationally coordinated actions to expand support
for Mumia's case is now in preparation. These include a major East Coast
national conference slated for mid-February; a week of local activities
in early April, and major marches and rallies in late April and May in San
Francisco and New York.
The National Coordinators of the defense campaign have announced that
an emergency national mass action would be organized in Philadelphia on
the first day that Jamal appears in Federal District Court during the oral
arguments of his case. Jamal's attorney Leonard Weinglass has indicated
that these first oral arguments may be scheduled as early as March 2000
or perhaps several months later.
The legal team will challenge the rigged state court record of "hanging
judge" Albert Sabo, whose 154 rulings of "fact" rejected
every defense contention and affirmed, without exception, the positions
of the prosecution.
The rejection of Judge Sabo's rulings, which excluded vital testimony
and evidence demonstrating Jamal's innocence, are expected to be critical
to Jamal's legal defense.
Socialist Action /December 1999 |