Date: Wed, 13 Oct 1999 22:33:55 -0500 From: Carrol Cox <cbcox at ilstu.edu>
**************************************************************************** In Toronto listen to RED ALERT RADIO on CKLN 88.1 FM Monday's at 7:15pm ****************************************************************************
http://www.geocities.com/tnsg.geo ****************************************************************************
---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Wed, 13 Oct 1999 22:25:18 -0400 () From: ! <yu217096 at YorkU.CA> To: yu217096 at yorku.ca Subject: Mumia--Call to action--death warrant signed
In Toronto, Friends of MOVE have called a demo at the US consulate (on University, between Dundas and Queen) for 1PM this Saturday, Oct. 16. Call 416-760-2152 for info about the action
SPREAD THE WORD!!!!!
------------------------------------------------------------------------>
>Death warrant signed for Mumia Abu-Jamal
>Today, Wednesday, October 13th, Governor Ridge signed the death warrant
for Mumia Abu-Jamal and has set December 2nd as the execution date. There
must be a strong response.
>
>In NYC, there will be an Emergency Response tomorrow, Thursday, October 14th:
>
>(1) 1-2pm Gather at PBA (Police Benevolent Assn), 40 Fulton St. and demand
"Hands of Mumia!"
>
>(2) 2pm March up Broadway to Times Square
>
>(3) 4:30pm Demonstrate at Times Square (@ 42nd St. and Broadway)
>
>There will be a demonstration in Philadelphia on Saturday, October 16th at:
>Pennsylvania State Office Building at Broad and Spring Garden Streets, 11 am
>People are riding the train down and there will be buses from NYC. Call
the Free Mumia Coalition Hotline 212-330-8029 and the In'tl Action Center
212+633-6646 for more info.
>
>Please distribute the information on the emergency rallies as widely as
possible. Following is information from Mumiaís legal team.
>
>
>PA Governor Signs Mumia Abu Jamal's Death Warrant Despite Expected Habeus
Corpus Petition Citing New Evidence of Innocence, Prosecutorial Misconduct,
Racial Bias
>
>Abu Jamal's Legal Team to File Habeus Corpus Petition Friday, October 15
At 10:00 a.m. at the Federal District Court in Philadelphia, PA
>
>Press Conference Will Follow at 11:00 a.m. at the American Friends
Services Committee, 15th and Cherry Street
>
>Rush to Execute Violates Defendant's Basic Legal Rights and Opposes
>
>Philadelphia and Pennsylvania Bar Associations' Recent Call for a
Moratorium on Executions
>
>
>PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Governor Ridge of Pennsylvania today
signed the death warrant of Mumia Abu Jamal, despite an expected habeus
corpus petition from the defendant's lawyers citing: fabrication and
>
>suppression of evidence; racial bias in selecting jurors; and denial of the
>
>right to self- representation, among other arguments.
>
>
>
>This is the 171st death warrant Governor Ridge has signed since 1994 -- five
>
>times the number signed by his predecessors over a 25-year period.
>
>Ninety-nine percent of those warrants signed by Ridge were done while the
>
>inmates still had time to appeal.
>
>
>
>Aside from not waiting for the habeus corpus petition -- a process that all
>
>defendants are legally entitled to -- Governor Ridge also decided to sign
>
>Jamal's warrant despite the Philadelphia and Pennsylvania Bar Associations'
>
>recent call for a moratorium on all executions until the death penalty
>
>system is proven just.
>
>
>
>One of the system's infirmities, acknowledged by the bar associations, has
>
>to do with racial prejudice. While nine percent of Pennsylvania's total
>
>population is African-American, for example, the percentage on death row is
>
>nearly seven times that amount (62%). This is the largest racial disparity
>
>of any state in the United States.
>
>
>
>In addition, a 1998 study by Professor Baldus at the University of Iowa
>
>found that a young African-American man growing up in Philadelphia is 11.5
>
>times more likely to end up on death row than in Georgia or Alabama.
>
>
>
>``Ridge is rushing to execute before all the evidence has been presented,''
>
>said Leonard Weinglass, Jamal's lead attorney. ``Since when does one man's
>
>political motivations override another's right to a fair trial, especially
>
>when a human life is in question?''
>
>
>
>Since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976, 81 people have been
>
>exonerated. Rushing executions assures that people who are on death row as a
>
>result of errors in process or issues of actual innocence will not be saved
>
>through the appellate process.
>
>
>
>The habeus corpus petition, which Governor Ridge knew was being filed for
>
>federal review, contains more than 29 separate issues of Constitutional
>
>violations that occurred in Jamal's trial and appeal. It is more than 150
>
>pages, and contains more than 600 paragraphs of factual allegations
>
>pertinent to the case.
>
>
>
>``Several arguments will be raised in the petition demonstrating that Jamal
>
>never received a meaningful trial and that compelling evidence of innocence
>
>was ignored by the state courts of Pennsylvania,'' said Daniel Williams, co-
>
>counsel.
>
>
>
>``Above and beyond the issue of innocence -- which is paramount in this
>
>case -- are the transcendent issues of whether or not in the 1990's someone
>
>ought to be executed when the trial attorney admits he interviewed no
>
>witnesses and conducted no investigation; when 11 African-American jurors
>
>were removed on the basis of race; and when the prosecution wrongly used a
>
>teenager's political statements to give the death penalty to an adult 12
>
>years later,'' said Weinglass.
>
>
>
>In addition to the defending attorneys, those working to ensure a fair trial
>
>for Jamal include: Amnesty International, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the
>
>European Parliament, Reverend Jesse Jackson and many others.
>
>
>
>SOURCE: Leonard Weinglass, Esq.
>
>
****************************************************************************
In Toronto listen to RED ALERT RADIO on CKLN 88.1 FM Monday's at 7:15pm
****************************************************************************
http://www.geocities.com/tnsg.geo ****************************************************************************