The Framing of Mumia Abu-Jamal
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A Black Power Book Review
by David L. Tamarin
Maybe we’ll never know what really happened in the early morning hours of Philadelphia on December 9, 1981, but author J. Patrick O’Connor makes one thing clear- the journalist Mumia Abu-Jamal did not murder a police officer, a crime for which he was convicted and sentenced to death. O’Connor makes another thing very clear- that the arrest, prosecution and sentencing of Mumia Abu-Jamal were unconstitutional efforts by a corrupt police force obsessed with revenge. He did not receive a fair trial and was denied his basic Constitutional rights.
The author uses extensive court testimony as well as affidavits, post-trial hearings, and statements made since the trial. Because there have been dozens of appeals, decisions and rulings on the case in the past 25 years, including activity in 2007 with a possible decision in 2008 or 2009, a lot of new information has surfaced. Many documents that were unfairly suppressed at trial became evidence at later hearings and witnesses have come forward admitting the police coerced them into lying and testifying to those lies. There have been new interviews, investigations, books. For the first time, one person has gathered up all of this evidence and analyzed the case. The results are shocking.
On that early Philly morning, Mumia Abu-Jamal was shot in the chest as he lay on the ground, probably by the police officer who was later shot in the head and face. Mumia, bleeding and in critical condition, was beaten and taken to the hospital. He was the victim of an unsuccessful execution by the police. He was tried and sentenced to death for killing a police officer.
The author debunks most of the prosecution’s case, effectively proving that Mumia is a victim of the system and its lies, racism, and corruption. The witnesses were criminals who received favors and favorable treatment in return for false testimony. O’Connor discovered that one of the ‘witnesses’ was not even present at the crime scene. Before the police arrived on the scene they had already convicted Mumia Abu-Jamal in their minds, and the entire system did everything possible to get Mumia onto death row.
Mumia’s story is tied in with the story of MOVE, a radical group led by a man named John Africa. The police hated the group, and the animosity climaxed when the police firebombed the MOVE headquarters, killing many people including women and children. Mumia was a rising and respected journalist who had several radio talk shows. He advocated for MOVE and took up their cause, becoming the ‘voice of the voiceless’.
Mumia wanted MOVE founder John Africa to be his lawyer. The judge did not allow Africa to help represent Mumia, and appointed an inexperienced lawyer, and provided him with virtually no funds and no assistants, making a victory for the defense almost impossible. Mumia was denied the right to be present at the jury selection, in which biased prosecutors did their best to get an all-white jury.
From this point forward the trial was a farce. When he tried to speak on his own behalf he was banned from the Court. Whenever Mumia wished to address the judge the jury was dismissed. The prosecution hid crucial evidence and access to crucial witnesses, and acted improperly in court with the help of a biased judge. Mumia was found guilty and sentenced to death, which started a series of appeals and motions that made Mumia an internationally known figure and an example of American injustice.
Things have changed since 1982. Mumia’s death sentence has been overturned. But the Philadelphia police department and prosecution have managed to keep him on death row for over four years and will not transfer him to general population. It is 2008 and the book brings with it big news.
A three judge panel that seems sympathetic to Mumia has heard arguments by him and should soon be releasing a decision that could lead to a new trial. Because of the weakness of the case, the author believes a retrial would be unsuccessful but that the corrupt system will retry him in order to keep him locked up as long as possible.Â
Meanwhile, although his death sentence was overturned years ago, Mumia is in solitary confinement on death row. The lesson is clear- taking an active stand against the system may get you killed. And that if people fight hard enough and long enough justice may prevail. The author assures us Mumia Abu-Jamal’s long-awaited release is just a matter of time.
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What are smoking, please pass it along. That dude murdered someone in cold blood and jsut because he is black he is innocent? Are you serious? I hope this is a joke…
> Yoda
All the evidence and facts on which a conclusion can be based,shows NOT GUILTY! justus
> justus
As GOD is my witness the truth will set him free.We all will stand and be judge
> justus
Mumia did not kill that officer,and the goverment officials know this.that’s why they are trying to keep Mumia in lockdown.because,like it or not when the truth come’s out there will probable be some politician involved.What do you think? think about it!
> justus
Don’t forget this is a corrupt system we dealing with here.so let us all not forget to let freedom ring
> justus
law and order.know your rights so you can stand and fight the wrong.common sence tell’s. me mumia was framed. what a shame!!!
> justus
Bottom line (FREE THAT MAN)
> justus
Most people convicted and sentenced to death sit there for years before anything happens. He doesn’t work he doesn’t do anything but sit there and suck up tax dollars. I don’t know one way or the other what happened is it possible he is wrongly convicted HIGHLY. Knowing ones rights will settle a lot of the problems. The police have gone from “protect and serve” to “fabricate and incarcerate”. And this is “shared†treatment now from those particular organizations, meaning people from all races have this happen to them.
You have to know your rights, and have the mannerism to properly convey that. By that I mean one of the worse things you can do is clown a cop(by knowing your rights and proving you know the law as well if not better than the enforcer of said law), and be a smartass about it. No telling the beating you will get and the charges are left to the “law enforcers†imagination. To be honest none of us can truly know what happened that night, could this man behind bars clowned an officer, and things went from bad to worse. Odds are, Hell Yes that happens all the time.
But to say this is wholly racial would be inaccurate, one the police are not a racial organization. They are an organization set up (originally) to confront organized crime, which at the same time would make them the same thing they are designed to battle a GANG. If one got clowned and got his revenge, his friends behind the badge would cover it up. Create a scene, where they can control the evidence. When your job is to enforce law, it is very easy to create evidence, and later on if it goes to court loose it. In my personal opinion we need to quit fighting their fight, on their terms. Although the system is flawed, it has worked once or twice before.
At the founding of this country it was said “In order to form a more perfect unionâ€, I think the key words in that are “more perfect†they knew at the start there were still bugs in the system, that is why the bill of rights was written. I know some will say that blacks weren’t considered fully human then, but that was changed, and no one said we need to do away with that part. (There is nothing wrong in equal but separate) The term “shall not be infringed†means can’t be changed no matter what. These rights we all need to know, this country was set up as a democratic republic, meaning we all get a say. Well I say we need to quit fighting some one else’s war as they would want us to fight it. Find what is common among us and use that, hell Hannibal did it (to a point, I mean he was fighting Rome) his armies were made up of everyone, fighting Rome. And fighting along the lines they provide (everyone knows if you divide you can conquer) is only causing further separation, separating us from our rights.
If the representatives of the Black Nation and the White Nation (I am not talking about Washington D.C. technically that is not part of America, so they have no right governing like they do) can agree on something then maybe it should be law. If it can’t be agreed upon than hammer it out until all can agree on it. Who can name a politician that actually followed thru on their campaign promises? What I am getting out is we all by nature are tribal, so why not govern ourselves as so? If the politicians were doing their job, there is no reason this country should be in the state it is in. They aren’t, so if they aren’t we need to find some who will. Burning thru them like cord wood, until you find one that is going to do the job right and fair.
The mainstream media is nothing but a circus, so it is left to sites like this one and others to inform their visitors of their rights and how to use the system to the fullest. They (those in dc) are trying to make it to where not only does on have to pay for internet service you will have to pay for the sites you visit. If they get their way all we as a nation will be left with is the mainstream media circus, they want the good ol’ days back. The internet informs to many, and want to limit the things you can say. I think the popular phrase is “dumbing downâ€.
Just thought I would throw that out there, normally I would just have said something smartass and offensive but, I am tired of fighting some one else’s fight. I am tired of the Washington thugs traveling the world on our money, talking shit about us. There is nothing wrong with race, yet they want us thinking there is. Their biggest nightmare is we stop fighting their fight (amongst ourselves) all at once and turn the fight on them.
> WhiteDevil
Yea, and OJ was innocent also !!
Racism will always be alive and well as long as ignorant blacks keep looking under rocks to make something up.
The Primate-Americans will never change.
> Joey
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