There is new proof that the 1982 murder conviction of Mumia Abu-Jamal was a political frame-up engineered by the Philly cops in collaboration with the district attorney Ed Rendell, hanging Judge Sabo, and other local power brokers eager to silence Mumia.
A key prosecution witness against Mumia, Veronica Jones, has recently come forward and in a sworn affidavit, stated that she gave false testimony at Mumia's 1982 trial. She said that she was coerced by police into lying. At the time of her original testimony, Ms. Jones was a 21 year old mother of three who was in jail facing serious felony charges.
Ms. Jones originally told the police that she had witnessed two men run from the scene in which Officer Daniel Faulkner was killed and Mumia was seriously wounded, but changed her story after receiving threats and promises from two Philadelphia detectives. In her sworn statement, she described the coercion:
"Approximately one week before I testified, I was visited by two white plain-clothed detectives. I was initially shocked at seeing them since the jailers had told me my lawyer was visiting. The detectives began by speaking, not of the facts of my case, but of the Jamal case. They told me that if I would testify against Jamal and identify Jamal as the shooter, I wouldn't have to worry about my pending felony charges. I repeatedly told the detectives that I didn't see the shooting, but only heard the shots and saw two men run away. But this didn't satisfy them. The detectives threatened me by reminding me that I faced a long prison sentence - fifteen years on gun charges - all the while persisting that I testify to their version of events. Frightened, I told them I wanted my lawyer present. When they finally left, I knew that if I did anything to help the Jamal defense I would face years in prison.
It was only a matter of a few days that I was brought into court. Both detectives who had threatened me earlier were in plain view, standing in the rear of the courtroom. When asked by Jamal's attorney to confirm what I first told police - that I saw two males run from the scene after the firing stopped - I steadfastly denied it for fear that I would be punished for helping the defense."
Ms. Jones' statement confirms those of several other witnesses who have come forward since the trial to tell of a shooter who fled the scene. With witness after witness saying they saw another person or persons flee after the shooting, a question begs to be answered: Why didn't the police investigate any suspects except Mumia?
All along the way, police have refused to investigate any other possibilities about who killed Daniel Faulkner. They never even tested Mumia's hands for gun powder. They coerced witnesses, withheld evidence, and blocked testimony of the people who would not lie for them. If their case against Mumia was as solid as they claim, why would they need to resort to these tactics?
Mumia's lawyers have asked the Pennsylvania Supreme Court to send the case back to the trial court to hear new evidence. If they refuse to do so, it will be even more evidence of the continued railroad of Mumia Abu-Jamal.
Sources: Courtroom notes from the PCRA hearing. Sworn statement by Veronica Jones. The Metro Times (Detroit) June 12, 1996
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