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mumia's death sentence thrown out
A partial victory was won on Tuesday, December 18 by supporters of Black political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal. U.S. District Judge William Yohn threw out Mumia’s death sentence citing problems with the information given to jurors regarding Mumia’s sentencing. Judge Yohn ordered the state of Pennsylvania to hold a new sentencing hearing for Mumia within 180 days, or else Mumia’s sentence will automatically be converted into a life sentence.
While supporters of Mumia are of course thrilled that the eminent threat of execution has been lifted (at least for now), at the same time Judge Yohn revoked Mumia’s death sentence, he also stated that Mumia’s first degree murder conviction stands, and denied the request for a new trial.
Mumia had been on death row for 20 years, framed for the murder of Philadelphia police officer Daniel Faulkner. His real crime however was being an effective outspoken critic of Philadelphia police brutality and corruption. He was ram-roaded onto death row by a racist pro-prosecutor “hanging Judge Sabo.” Mumia has continued to speak out from prison, authoring several books and writing social commentary on everything from the racism of the prison-industrial complex to the war on Afghanistan. The injustice of his case, and the self-less courage he has displayed in speaking out against injustice everywhere has earned him the nickname “voice of the voiceless” and the support of people around the world, from labor unions to the European Parliament.
Perhaps the most outrageous aspect of Mumia’s case though has been that in spite of another person coming forward and confessing to the 1981 murder of police officer Daniel Faulkner, the state of Pennsylvania refuses to even interview the confessed killer. The attitude of Federal Judge Yohn, whom Mumia’s attorneys have petitioned to grant him a new trial, has stated in response to the confession by Arnold Beverly’s that “innocence is no defense” for Mumia!
We are right to celebrate the throwing out of Mumia’s death sentence, but the fight is far from over. In fact it is essential that we now redouble our efforts in order to prevent the state from re-imposing the death sentence through a new sentencing hearing, or handing down any other kind of sentence. Mumia is an innocent man. Life in prison is not justice, no prison sentence of any length can be accepted for this innocent man. We need to build momentum to completely free Mumia, to end the racist death penalty, and to build a world where police brutality and racism exist only in the pages of history. Free Mumia! New Trial Now!
