From: Mark Clement <MClement@bruderhof.com>
To: News Editor
For Immediate International Release
Contacts: Pam Africa 215-476-8812
Clark Kissinger 718-797-9044
Death Warrant for Mumia Abu-Jamal imminent say Pennsylvania Officials
Harrisburg, PA. August 24, 1999. State officials say Governor Ridge may
sign a death warrant for Mumia Abu-Jamal at any time, according to a recent
article in the Philadelphia Daily News. Once a death warrant is signed Mr.
Jamal will be effectively silenced. He will be moved from a regular death
row cell into "Phase II", where highly restrictive conditions of
imprisonment will be applied:
1) No property allowed in cell - no access to legal papers.
2) No phone calls except with the Warden's permission, call by
call.
3) Visits only by immediate family.
4) 24 hour camera surveillance in cell.
5) No clothes provided for prisoner's possession. May be left
naked in cell for hours.
6) Visits with attorneys only under surveillance by
staff/guards.
Meanwhile the public relations war surrounding his case continues. An
astonishing claim by Maureen Faulkner, widow of the police officer Mr. Jamal
is accused of shooting, was outlined by Linn Washington in a recent
Philadelphia Tribune column. According to her claim, Mr. Jamal turned and
smiled at her in the courtroom when her husband's bloodstained and
bullet-ridden jacket was exhibited to the jury during his trial. The only
problem with her claim is that Mr. Jamal was not in the courtroom the day
the jacket was exhibited, proven by trial transcripts. In fact, he was
excluded from most of his trial and was not allowed to represent himself.
Mrs. Faulkner has maintained that Mr. Jamal has no support in Philadelphia
for a new trial. However, among the notable citizens of Philadelphia calling
for a new trial are: Chaka Fattah, Reverend Henry Wills, Henry Nichols
(President of 1199), John Street, Professor Tony Montero, Professor Sonya
Sanchez, State Senator Vincent Hughes, State Representative Harold James,
Reverend Sheppard, and many others.
Buzz Bissinger (in Vanity Fair) and Sam Donaldson (on ABC's 20/20) recently
championed Philip Bloch, praising him as a man of courage for coming forward
to reveal that Mr. Jamal had "confessed" to him in 1992. They were unaware
that Mr. Bloch wrote to Mumia in 1993 expressing his belief in Mumia's
innocence. Furthermore, Bloch paid $20 in 1995 to have his name added to a
newspaper ad listing those who believed Mumia was innocent. The ad appeared
in the Philadelphia Inquirer and the Harrisburg Patriot-News and declared
"We care about Mumia because there is compelling evidence pointing to his
innocence." Mr. Bissinger and Mr. Donaldson bought into Phil Bloch's lie.
Buzz Bissinger has been the primary publicist for current Philadelphia Mayor
Ed Rendell, District Attorney when Mr. Jamal was tried and sentenced to
death in 1982. Rendell is now contemplating a run for Governor and it is
widely believed that if Mr. Jamal were to receive a new trial at the Federal
level evidence would emerge that would seriously damage Rendell's political
career.
Governor Ridge: 717-787-2500
Mayor Rendell: 215-686-3000
Phil Bloch: 717-845-7217
--30--
========================================>
From: "C. Clark Kissinger" <cck1@earthlink.net>
More Evidence on Philip Bloch and his Confession Hoax
by C. Clark Kissinger
Recently Mumia Abu-Jamal released a July 1993 letter to him from Philip
Bloch, in which Bloch says he looks forward to justice being done through
Mumia’s acquittal in a new trial. This effectively exposed the lie put
forward by Block that Mumia had “confessed” to him months or even years
earlier. (Bloch is now saying that the alleged conversation may have taken
place as early as 1991, since it has been shown that he lost his prison
access that year.)
Now we have even further evidence that Bloch continued to believe in Mumia’s
innocence for years following the time when he now claims to have heard a
confession.
In January of 1995, an advertisement was printed in the Harrisburg (PA)
Patriot News and the Philadelphia Tribune. Under the headline “Take a Stand
for Justice!” the ad states (in part): “We care about Mumia because there is
compelling evidence that points to his innocence,” and goes on to detail
some of that evidence.
Among the signers of this ad is Philip Bloch, who paid $20 to have his name
added to the list of signers.
Evidence such as this was easily available to publications like Vanity Fair
and television programs like 20/20 that propagated the Bloch falsification.
Since Vanity Fair’s Managing Editor was warned in writing in June by Mumia’s
attorney about the bias of their author, the whole episode looks more and
more like a deliberate intent to deceive the public for political ends.
NOTE: The 1995 ad for Mumia that was signed by Philip Bloch (and many
others) was organized and published by Equal Justice USA, and the full
text is available via e-mail if anyone needs it.
CK
========================================>
From: "Greg Butterfield" <theredguard@hotmail.com>
-------------------------
Via Workers World News Service
Reprinted from the Aug. 26, 1999
issue of Workers World newspaper
-------------------------
As execution threat looms
Prison censorship tries to silence Mumia
By Greg Butterfield
A prison guard ripped the telephone cord out of the wall as political
prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal was giving a live interview to a nationwide radio
program Aug. 12. The guard reportedly told Abu-Jamal that the order to
silence him "comes straight from the top."
The Black freedom fighter--on death row at SCI Greene in Pennsylvania--was
being interviewed by Amy Goodman, host of Pacifica radio's "Democracy Now."
They were discussing President Bill Clinton's offer of "clemency" to the
Puerto Rican political prisoners and prisoners of war if they would renounce
the independence struggle.
Seven minutes into the call, Abu-Jamal said, "A guard rushed up, pulled the
cord out of the wall and announced, `This call is terminated.' When I
demanded why, he replied, `The order comes straight from the top.'"
According to prison regulations, Abu-Jamal is allowed two 15-minute phone
calls a week.
"The Department of Corrections demonstrated for all the world to see the
true face of censorship," said the revolutionary journalist. "Once again the
state reacts to my speech by the act of silencing.
"I promise you, it shall not end there."
Phase II looms
Abu-Jamal's supporters warn the attack may signal that prison authorities
are gearing up for "Phase II"--official lingo for the added restrictions a
prisoner faces when a death warrant is signed.
At a national strategy meeting in Philadelphia Aug. 14, Pam Africa of
International Concerned Family & Friends of Mumia Abu-Jamal said she had
challenged Philadelphia newspapers to either confirm or retract accounts
published in July saying that Gov. Tom Ridge is preparing to sign a new
death warrant.
The papers refused to retract the story, Africa said, and that could mean
"it's a question of when rather than if."
Leslie Jones of Concerned Family & Friends explained at an East Coast youth
and students meeting Aug. 15: "What does it mean if they put Mumia in Phase
II? Visitors will be limited to his immediate family. That means Pam
[Africa] won't be able to see him. It means Johnny Cochrane and Jesse
Jackson, who are trying to visit him, won't be able to get in.
"His telephone privileges would be revoked," Jones said. "To go into Phase
II is to stop what he does, which is to communicate with us about what is
going on on death row."
It was Abu-Jamal's ability to communicate with the outside that made it
possible for him to refute the media/police "confession" hoax published in
Vanity Fair, Jones noted.
She warned, "They are preparing to murder Mumia."
Abu-Jamal was convicted of the 1981 killing of a white Philadelphia cop,
Daniel Faulkner. Abu-Jamal has always maintained his innocence, and his
supporters say he was the target of a political frame-up.
In 1995, Ridge was forced to revoke a death warrant just days before
Abu-Jamal was scheduled to be executed. At least 10,000 people joined a
militant march in Philadelphia on Aug. 12, 1995, to stop the execution.
Cops plan `hit list'
At the 54th National Conference of the Fraternal Order of Police, held in
Mobile, Ala., Aug. 11, the cop group announced "a nationwide boycott against
those businesses and individuals" that support Abu-Jamal's fight for a new
trial, according to U.S. Newswire.
"President Gilbert G. Gallegos announced the organization's plans for a
boycott. Gallegos said the F.O.P. plans to have a continuously updated list
of firms and individuals that support or lend assistance to the cause of
freeing Abu-Jamal on the organization's web site," according to the report.
Activists point out that the FOP has targeted Mumia Abu-Jamal's supporters
for threats and harassment before. Anti-racists call the new FOP plan a "hit
list."
The FOP and Maureen Faulkner also want to wage a pro-death campaign on
college campuses, a stronghold of support for Abu-Jamal, said Monica
Moorehead, an organizer of the Sept. 19-25 Mumia Awareness Week.
"We want to urge every student organizer to start a Mumia support committee
on their campus," Moorehead told Workers World. "Mumia Awareness Week is a
good launching point to start a chapter.
"We have to counter [the police effort] with a strong anti-death penalty,
anti-racist, anti-police brutality presence in every college and high
school," said Moorehead.
For more information on Mumia Awareness Week, call (212) 924-8585 or email
info@j4mumia.org.
- END -
(Copyleft Workers World Service: Everyone is permitted to copy and
distribute verbatim copies of this document, but changing it is not allowed.
For more information contactWorkers World, 55 W. 17 St., NY, NY 10011; via
e-mail: ww@workers.org. For subscription info send message to:
info@workers.org. Web: http://www.workers.org)
=========================================>
From: PSriva5210@aol.com
Date: Sun, 22 Aug 1999 16:15:34 EDT
THE ARREST AT THE BELL HOUSE
July 3rd, 1999, I along with at least thirty other women and that many more
men-- was arrested by the federal park rangers for an act of demonstration in
support of mumia abu jamal, and against the death penalty at the Liberty
Bell, Independence Plaza in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. From the time the
action began, approximately 12:30, through the time I crossed the police
barrier and found myself in front of the entrance, until the time I was
finally released at about 10 pm that night, no park ranger approached me with
any order. My action was to stand with several others in front of one side
of the four sided building that houses the Liberty Bell, what I call the Bell
House. We stood shoulder to shoulder, in front of the glass wall of the Bell
House facing Market Street. We were on the red bricks that denoted federal
land. We rang small silver, brass and white bells, pasted our shirts with a
81/2 X11 inch flyer announcing the reason for our presence, and sang and
chanted for liberty. No officer requested information or made any orders,
demands.
As we passed the police barrier, held open for us by park rangers, my heart
pounded as I took my place in front of the main entrance. This was where the
arrests were being made. My first contact with law enforcement was here at
this point, at the entrance. An officer grabbed my arm and said "come with
me." I did. He took me 2 yards down and turned me around to face the bell
house. A female officer then frisked me and cuffed my hands behind my back.
I said, "I am not resisting arrest." No answer. Again, no officer requested
information or made any orders, demands.
One by one all of us were handcuffed. I was standing because my leg brace
would not allow me to sit down. I think the officer did ask me to sit. I
informed him or her I could not physically oblige. They walked away.
Several minutes, (maybe ½ hour or more) followed where male demonstrators
were loaded into a large police van. One elderly man looked faint. We
started a chant to give him water. The crowd of supporters took up the chant.
The officers gave the man water. Finally, the van with the brothers drove
off. Another, smaller, van was brought in for the women. I was the first
woman that was put into the van. The officers took me to the van. I said "I
am not resisting" They wanted me to climb in. I said "I can not. I need you
to go in and pull me up." The man finally did that. Frances Goldin was the
next person in.
They then loaded us in until we were quite crowded. There was little room
left and still they brought other sisters in. We shouted that it was hot,
crowded, no air. Then they closed the door and it was pitch black darkness
inside. We were driven to the place where they would hold us for the rest of
that day. During the trip the van would start and stop abruptly. This
forced us to bump up against the wall of the van and into each other. There
were women on the two benches that lined the sides of the van and other women
on the floor of the van between the benches. There was no sign of light or
air for what seemed like a very long time. We continued in this jolting
motion for over fifteen minutes. Later I was surprised to learn that we had
been taken to a location so close to the Bell House.
The doors of the van were finally opened, then closed immediately again.
Less than 2 minutes later they reopened and we were dragged out. Still
handcuffed we were frisked and put into a holding cell. They said , "come."
I went. They said, "wait." I waited. They said, "go in." I went in. We
spent much time handcuffed in a holding cell. There was water available.
But we could not manage to push the button as are hands were handcuffed. We
remained in the holding cell as two other vans arrived with other men. Then a
third van arrived with a few more women. No officer had as yet spoken to me
to specify what I was being held for nor to give me any order.
Finally, after they had processed all the men from the adjacent holding cell
or cells we were escorted out of our holding cell one by one, or two by two.
We were asked to remove all our personal belongings, handbags, pouch belts,
jewelry , watches , etc…. We also had to give up all money and ID. It was
hard for me to hand over my house keys in particular. Our items were
inventoried and placed in manila envelopes with our names on it. We were
then scolded by a park ranger, whose behavior, happily, proved to be an
exception to the rule. Most park rangers ranged from being friendly to
simply professionally courteous. Not this one. "Stop singing," he said, "or
will keep you here." At which point a brave sister demanded if singing were
somehow against the law.
Then this fine example of our public service sector escorted us into an
elevator. The brave sister who stood up for our rights to sing remained
behind. Punished. She would join us later. And so we joined the men and
other women, who had been arrested earlier, on an upper floor. I do not know
how many cells there were. We walked past two cells with about fifteen women
in each and were lead into a third cell. There were about fifteen of us in
that cell. And then began many hours of processing. The processing was done
in a most inefficient unorganized and confused manner. We were provided with
no food, no phone calls, and no information as to how long the procedure
would take. This despite our repeated requests. I must say, however, that
all of the officers were courteous and respectful with the notable exception
of that one park ranger mentioned before, a white male, and a black female
counterpart.
After many hours and much movement from cell to cell we were fingerprinted,
photographed, re-inventoried, and went before the judge. Still we were
returned to the cells and waited more time before being escorted out of the
building two by two.
© poonam srivastava 1999.
=================================>
FROM SPAIN:
Excerpts From: Gorka <maldoror@aleph.pangea.org>
Subject: Sessions Against Prisons - MUMIA 911 of ABC-CNA Barcelona
Of the 4 to the 12 of September
Sessions Against Prisons - MUMIA 911
ANARCHIS BLACK CROSS BARCELONA
Thursday 9-9-99
19 h. Demostration against the racism and against the death penalty.
(To claim the FREEDOM TO MUMIA ABU-JAMAL and to denounce the silence
complicates of the press with the death penalty)
Before of the building of the newspaper La Vanguardia C/ Pelayo 28
ART EXPOSITION INAUGURATION MUMIA 911
Social Center Espai Obert-C/ Blasco of Garay 2 1
(From 9-10-99 until 9-30-99. Money that is procured with the sale of
the works will be sent to support the struggle by the freedom of
Mumia Abu-Jamal)
We wait you assistance and your support, because still there are
prisons and because still lack the prisoners!!!.
In struggle,... until all we be free!!!.
ABC-CNA Barcelona
End
In the Spirit of Crazy Horse
LA ORDEN DE EJECUCION DE MUMIA PUEDE SER FIRMADA EN EL MES DE AGOSTO
******************************************************
- "La Injusticia en cualquier sitio,
es una amenaza para la Justicia en todas partes"
- "Injustice Anywhere is a Threat to Justice Everywhere"
******************************************************
- HANDS OFF KOMBOA AND THE CHATTANOOGA THREE ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
- Libertad LEONARD PELTIER!!! - FREE LEONARD PELTIER!!!
- Libertad STANDING DEER!!! - FREE STANDING DEER!!!
- Stop the execution of Mumia Abu-Jamal
- Libertad para MUMIA ABU-JAMAL!!! - FREE MUMIA ABU-JAMAL!!!
- CONTRA LA PENA DE MUERTE - AGAINST THE DEATH PENALTY
- NI UNA EJECUCION MAS!!! - NOT ONE MORE EXECUTION!!!
- Libertad para tod@s l@s pres@s politic@s
- FREEDOM THE MOVE & PUERTO RICAN PRISONERS
- FREEDOM CERRO HUECO PRISONERS
- FREEDOM FOR POLITICS PRISONERS & P.O.W.
- Stop a la brutalidad policial.
- Stop Police Brutality, Repression, and the Criminalization of a Generation
- Working to end the racist death penalty, to abolish prison slavery, and to
extend democracy to all.
- Contra la impunidad.
VIVA ZAPATA!!!!
TIERRA Y LIBERTAD!!!!
end
====================================
IT'S TIME TO PICK UP THE PACE!
International Concerned Family & Friends of Mumia Abu-Jamal
P.O. Box 19709 - Philadelphia, PA 19143
Ph: 215-476-8812 / Fax: 215-476-7551
Web: www.mumia.org / E-mail: mumia@webcom.com
MUMIA MUST LIVE!