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Tell the Obama Administration you demand Constitutional Justice Now for Mumia Abu-Jamal
Initiated by the Free Mumia Abu-Jamal Coalition (NYC)
SIGN THE ONLINE PETITION AT
Petition
On April 6, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal asking for a new trial for death row political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal, based on evidence of racist prosecutorial misconduct during his original 1982 trial in Philadelphia. An important aspect of this misconduct is based on the 1986 Batson issue—a legal decision that says that prospective jurors cannot be selected or unselected based on their race.
In Mumia’s 1982 trial, the white prosecutor used 11 of his 15 strikes to remove Black jurors from the jury. In the end, Mumia’s case was tried before a jury of ten whites and two Blacks. On top of the strikes made by prosecutors, there was also a well-documented culture of racial discrimination by the Philadelphia District Attorney’s office.
Please take a few minutes to read, sign and circulate widely the important letter below to the various departments of the U.S. government on behalf of defending Mumia’s civil rights, which have been clearly violated. Only a powerful, international campaign can win long, overdue freedom for this outspoken, award-winning journalist and stop a 27 year-old conspiracy to silence him with legal lynching or life in prison without parole. Both options are unacceptable. Mumia needs our movement and our movement needs Mumia.
Let President Obama, Vice President Biden, Attorney General Holder, Homeland Security Secretary Napolitano, Secretary of State Clinton, the Senate and House Judiciary Committees, Congressional Leaders, the Congressional Black Caucus, U.N. Secy General Ban, and members of the media know you want the Obama administration to correct the decades of constitutional injustice in Mumia's case NOW!
The petition text follows:
Urgent Appeal to the Obama administration: correct the constitutional injustice in Mumia's case NOW!
To: Attorney General Holder
cc: President Obama, Vice President Biden, Homeland Security Secretary Napolitano, Secretary of State Clinton, the Senate and House Judiciary Committees, Congressional Leaders, the Congressional Black Caucus, U.N. Secy Gen Ban, and members of the media
I write to you with a sense of grave concern and outrage about the U.S. Supreme Court's denial of a hearing to Mumia Abu-Jamal on the issue of racial bias in jury selection, that is, the "Batson issue". Inasmuch as there is no other court to which Abu-Jamal can appeal for justice, I turn to you for remedy of a 27-year history of gross violations of U.S. constitutional law and international standards of justice as documented by Amnesty International and many other legal groups around the world.
I call on you and the Justice Department to immediately commence a civil rights investigation to examine the many examples of egregious and racist prosecutorial and judicial misconduct dating back to the original trial in 1982 and continuing through to the current inaction of the U.S. Supreme Court. The statute of limitations should not be a factor in this case as there is very strong evidence of an ongoing conspiracy to deny Abu-Jamal his constitutional rights.
I am aware of the many differences that exist between the case of former Senator Ted Stevens and Mumia Abu-Jamal. Still, I note with great interest the actions you have taken with regard to Senator Stevens' conviction to assure that he not be denied his constitutional rights. You were specifically outraged by the fact that the prosecution withheld information critical to the defense's argument for acquittal, a violation clearly committed by the prosecution in Abu-Jamal's case. Mumia Abu-Jamal, though not a U.S. senator of great wealth and power, is a Black man revered around the world for his courage, clarity, and commitment and deserves no less than Senator Stevens.
Cordially,
(Your signature will be appended here based on the contact information you enter in the form above)
Petition
On April 6, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal asking for a new trial for death row political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal, based on evidence of racist prosecutorial misconduct during his original 1982 trial in Philadelphia. An important aspect of this misconduct is based on the 1986 Batson issue—a legal decision that says that prospective jurors cannot be selected or unselected based on their race.
In Mumia’s 1982 trial, the white prosecutor used 11 of his 15 strikes to remove Black jurors from the jury. In the end, Mumia’s case was tried before a jury of ten whites and two Blacks. On top of the strikes made by prosecutors, there was also a well-documented culture of racial discrimination by the Philadelphia District Attorney’s office.
Please take a few minutes to read, sign and circulate widely the important letter below to the various departments of the U.S. government on behalf of defending Mumia’s civil rights, which have been clearly violated. Only a powerful, international campaign can win long, overdue freedom for this outspoken, award-winning journalist and stop a 27 year-old conspiracy to silence him with legal lynching or life in prison without parole. Both options are unacceptable. Mumia needs our movement and our movement needs Mumia.
Let President Obama, Vice President Biden, Attorney General Holder, Homeland Security Secretary Napolitano, Secretary of State Clinton, the Senate and House Judiciary Committees, Congressional Leaders, the Congressional Black Caucus, U.N. Secy General Ban, and members of the media know you want the Obama administration to correct the decades of constitutional injustice in Mumia's case NOW!
The petition text follows:
Urgent Appeal to the Obama administration: correct the constitutional injustice in Mumia's case NOW!
To: Attorney General Holder
cc: President Obama, Vice President Biden, Homeland Security Secretary Napolitano, Secretary of State Clinton, the Senate and House Judiciary Committees, Congressional Leaders, the Congressional Black Caucus, U.N. Secy Gen Ban, and members of the media
I write to you with a sense of grave concern and outrage about the U.S. Supreme Court's denial of a hearing to Mumia Abu-Jamal on the issue of racial bias in jury selection, that is, the "Batson issue". Inasmuch as there is no other court to which Abu-Jamal can appeal for justice, I turn to you for remedy of a 27-year history of gross violations of U.S. constitutional law and international standards of justice as documented by Amnesty International and many other legal groups around the world.
I call on you and the Justice Department to immediately commence a civil rights investigation to examine the many examples of egregious and racist prosecutorial and judicial misconduct dating back to the original trial in 1982 and continuing through to the current inaction of the U.S. Supreme Court. The statute of limitations should not be a factor in this case as there is very strong evidence of an ongoing conspiracy to deny Abu-Jamal his constitutional rights.
I am aware of the many differences that exist between the case of former Senator Ted Stevens and Mumia Abu-Jamal. Still, I note with great interest the actions you have taken with regard to Senator Stevens' conviction to assure that he not be denied his constitutional rights. You were specifically outraged by the fact that the prosecution withheld information critical to the defense's argument for acquittal, a violation clearly committed by the prosecution in Abu-Jamal's case. Mumia Abu-Jamal, though not a U.S. senator of great wealth and power, is a Black man revered around the world for his courage, clarity, and commitment and deserves no less than Senator Stevens.
Cordially,
(Your signature will be appended here based on the contact information you enter in the form above)