> I can think of a really nasty end for all of this: the Governor
> commutes Mumia's sentence to life without parole. It'd take nearly
> every urgency away from Mumia's supporters, and probably help them
> move on to more urgent issues.
I wouldn't consider that a nasty end, except in that prison is nasty for anyone. It ought to lead them to move on to the many issues included in prison reform -- unsafe, unhealthy conditions, de-emphasis of constructive programs to prepare those who are going to get out for life outside, etc. And the death penalty issue is still certainly urgent. I just went to a rally at the state capitol last Saturday which was attended by quite a few Mumia supporters, which at least indicates that they are not confining their attention to their own man.
> If he continues to write, fine. But it'd piss off the Mumia haters,
> many of whom are cops who'd adopt betrayed-by-the-politicians
> self-pity, and many of whom want to watch the guy fry. So it's not
> likely to happen unless the Governor squares it with the Philly FOP
> big time.
Rendell is hell on wheels on the death penalty issue -- adamantly refuses even to put a moratorium on executions, despite the mounting evidence that he should follow the former Gov. of Illinois' example (he spoke at the rally). But he likes to watch people fry (or go to sleep, which I think is the Commonwealth's procedure), too -- "cop-killers" or not.
Jon Johanning // jjohanning at igc.org __________________________________ A gentleman haranguing on the perfection of our law, and that it was equally open to the poor and the rich, was answered by another, 'So is the London Tavern.' -- "Tom Paine's Jests..." (1794); also attr. to John Horne Tooke (1736-1812) by Hazlitt