In 1981, Mumia Abu-Jamal was a former Black Panther and respected public radio journalist in Philadelphia, when he was jailed after a disputed incident in which police officer Daniel Faulkner was killed. In 1982, Abu-Jamal was convicted of murder and sentenced to death by Judge Albert Sabo, known as a “hanging judge” who’d sent more people to Death Row than any other U.S. judge.
Human rights groups like Amnesty International criticized the trial, pointing to racial bias and “
possible political influences that may have prevented him from receiving an impartial and fair hearing.” Unsuccessful appeals over the years have argued that prosecutors suppressed evidence and that blacks were systematically purged from the jury.
But after 37 years behind bars, much of it on death row in solitary confinement, Abu-Jamal now has some real hope.
Click here to tell Larry Krasner, Philadelphia’s progressive District Attorney, that it’s time to turn the page on Abu-Jamal’s case.Last December, Abu-Jamal won a major victory when Philadelphia Judge Leon Tucker ruled that he had the right to re-appeal his case because of the appearance of bias during the appeals process – specifically that a former DA-turned-Pennsylvania Supreme Court justice who’d blocked Abu-Jamal’s appeals should have recused himself from the case.
This victory, clearing the path for a possible new trial, seemed especially hopeful because in 2017 Philadelphia voters, especially African American voters, had elected Krasner – a longtime foe of mass incarceration, the death penalty, and racism in criminal justice.
Click here to urge DA Krasner not to resist Judge Tucker’s ruling and let justice be served.At the end of January, Krasner shocked many by announcing that he would challenge Judge Tucker’s decision to give Abu-Jamal the right to appeal, apparently over his concern that it might open up appeals for other convicted prisoners. Days later, Krasner was disinvited from a progressive law conference at Yale which he was to keynote, and conference organizers urged Krasner to drop his resistance to Abu Jamal’s appeal: “We cannot understand how DA Krasner’s decision in this case serves justice or the transformative vision that he ran on.”
Add your voice to those who want DA Krasner to reverse course on Abu-Jamal’s case – and to ask the DA: “Isn’t nearly four decades behind bars more than enough?!” After signing the petition,
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Background:
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Amnesty International: “A Life in the Balance: The Case of Mumia Abu-Jamal” (Feb. 2000)>>
Essence: “Judge Rules Mumia Abu-Jamal Can Reargue Appeal To The Pennsylvania Supreme Court” (Dec. 28, 2018)>>
Philly.com: “Philly DA Larry Krasner disinvited to speak at Yale Law conference” (Feb. 2, 2019)>>
The Intercept.com: “Larry Krasner Responds to Progressive Critics” (Feb. 9, 2019)
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