Dear Friend,
THE CASE OF MUMIA ABU-JAMAL
You may have heard from us previously about the case of Mumia Abu-Jamal, an outstanding black journalist who has been on death row in Pennsylvania USA since 1982 and was sentenced to die by lethal injection on 17 August 1995.
Hopefully you have also heard that Mumia was granted an indefinite stay of execution on 7 August, just ten days prior to his appointment with death. The stay came suddenly--- to the surprise and amazement of many. Its announcement was followed by an outpouring of great joy. Many have worked untiringly in support of Mumia. The stay was a limited victory, yet it was a victory all the same.
IT IS CLEAR THAT INTERNATIONAL CONCERN AND AWARENESS ABOUT MUMIA'S CASE WAS A VERY IMPORTANT FACTOR IN THE GRANTING OF THE STAY. Our hope is that this international activity will continue and grow in the weeks and months to come.
Mumia's recent hearing in the Philadelphia court of Judge Albert Sabo was very painful for us as well as all those who are concerned for Mumia. Some of our brothers and sisters were present in the court for each of the days of the hearing. We were stunned by the coldness and hardness of heart directed toward Mumia, those trying to defend him and his supporters in general. This first hand experience has galvanised our feelings about this particular case as well as about the death penalty in general. We feel all the more committed to work for the eternal abolition of the death penalty. Please join us!
Judge Sabo could still decide for a retrial but based on our experience in the court we would see this possibility as highly unlikely. The next possibility is that the Pennsylvania Supreme Court could grant a new trial BUT THIS CAN ONLY HAPPEN WITH THE UNANIMOUS VOTE OF ALL 6 JUSTICES. For this reason it is important to write to all 6 justices as soon as possible.
1) ASK FOR A NEW, FAIR TRIAL FOR MUMIA.
2) ASK THAT JUDGE ALBERT SABO BE IMMEDIATLY RETIRED FROM THIS CASE (this can also only happen by a unanimous vote of all 6 justices. At 74 Judge Sabo is a senior judge and the Pennsylvania Supreme Court must authorise him to hear cases).
This death spirit, this "death lust" must be stopped in its tracks, now. In closing we quote from "The Stay", written on 11 August by Mumia Abu-Jamal. "In an age when South Africa, the pariah of the international community, has abolished ALL executions as an affront to the inherent right to life, our task can not be merely to stay (or slow down) one man's execution. No! It must be to echo the world--- the European Community, Australia, South Africa, ET AL.--- in total abolition of this racist vestige of the lynching tree, all forms of state murder".
Bruderhof Communities in the UK
WRITE TO ALL SIX PENNSYLVANIA SUPREME COURT JUSTICES
Honorable Robert N.C. Nix Jr.
Chief Justice of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court
Suite 500, Widener Bldg.
One South Penn Square
Philadelphia, PA 19107 USA
Honorable Ralph J. Cappy
Justice, Pennsylvania Supreme Court
3130 One Oxford Court
Pittsburgh, PA 15219 USA
Honorable Frank J. Montemuro Jr.
Senior Justice
1101 Market Street
ARA Tower, Number 2850
Philadelphia, PA 19107 USA
Honorable Ronald Castille
Justice, Pennsylvania Supreme Court
1818 Market Street, Suite 3730
Philadelphia, PA 19103 USA
Honorable John P. Flaherty Jr.
Justice, Pennsylvania Supreme Court
Six Gateway Center, Suite 616
Pittsburgh, PA 15222 USA
Honorable Stephen A. Zappala
Justice, Pennsylvania Supreme Court
2802 Grant Building, 330 Grant Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15219 USA
Governor Thomas Ridge
Main Capitol Building, Room 225
Harrisburg, PA 17120 USA
Especially for those in the UK and European Community: Further information is available about the Bruderhof's concern for Mumia Abu-Jamal and our involvement in the ongoing struggle for life and against the death penalty and all forms of death. Contact us by e-mail/fax/post/phone for free copies of the last two editions of our bi-monthly publication"The Plough".
Fax: (44) (0)1580 881171
Phone: (44) (0) 1580 881003
++++stop the execution of Mumia Abu-Jamal++++
(reposted from spg-l, 8.22.95)
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