Life After Death (Row)

Since the 1982 conviction, the Free Mumia movement has crossed ethnic, economic and international grounds. A list of Abu-Jamal’s supporters reads like a who’s who of entertainment, academia and activism, including Rage Against the Machine, The Beastie Boys, Chuck D, Pam Africa, Maya Angelou, Cornel West, and former presidential candidate Ralph Nader.

Mumia himself has not said much about the case, or his own plight, opting instead to do what he’s done all along: use his platform to speak for those who cannot speak for themselves. He has written several books while in prison, spoken at several college commencement ceremonies and continues to take the government to task for questionable practices.

Justice Delayed is Justice Denied

On February 19, another blow to Mumia’s efforts for a new trial took place. The Philadelphia Supreme Court rejected an additional appeal regarding the Post Conviction Relief Act (PCRA). According to a report in Abu-Jamal-News.com, the court—in a ruling made by rejected the appeal on the grounds that it was not “timely.” The PCRA was filed based on an affidavit stating two key witnesses perjured themselves during the original trial.

The ruling did not come as a shock to any of Abu-Jamal’s closest supporters. “It comes as no surprise to hear that the Pennsylvania State Supreme Court has rejected yet another appeal by Mumia Abu-Jamal, the state's longest-surviving death row prisoner. The court, which is led by former Philadelphia D.A. Ron Castille (who helped fight Abu-Jamal's appeals in his role as DA and has yet to recuse himself from decisions involving this case), has never issued a ruling favorable to Abu-Jamal,” Dave Lindorff, author of 2003’s Killing Time: The Investigation into the Death Row Case of Mumia Abu-Jamal said of the outcome.

In a country that prides itself on the fairness of its justice system, it may come as a surprise that Mumia Abu-Jamal, now armed with a better defense team has been repeatedly denied appeals for a new trial. With supporters and detractors firmly believing in his innocence or guilt, a new trial will not only validate the case for or against Mumia, but take the weight off of a justice system that has long been accused, with good reason of railroading the poor, the unpopular, or in the case of Mumia Abu-Jamal, those who speak out against it authority.

Check out the newly discovered crime scene photos at Abu-Jamal-News.com.

_{Sources:
A Life in the Balance: The Case of Mumia Abu-Jamal. 17 February 2000. Amnesty International. 17 June 2007. <http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/engAMR510012000>
Assistance of Counsel. FindLaw. 17 June 2007.
< http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/data/constitution/amendment06/10.html#9>
Bisson, Terry. “The Case of Mumia Abu Jamal.” NewYork Newsday 1995.
17 June 2007. <http://www.terrybisson.com/mumia.html>
Frank Rizzo. 17 June 2007. <http://www.dsl.psu.edu/civilrights/articles/frankrizzobio.html>
Free Mumia Abu-Jamal: Free All Political Prisoners. 1999. Peace and Freedom Party.
17 June 2007. <http://www.peaceandfreedom.org/Mumia.html>
Mumia Abu-Jamal. 17 June 2007 < http://www.answers.com/topic/mumia-abu-jamal>}