From: chris98@pacbell.net
The September 25th Ad Hoc Committee to Free Mumia Abu-Jamal has called for a
mass action surrounding the Oakland Federal Building on December 11
commemorating Human Rights Day. We intend to send a very clear message to
the Janet Reno & the Dept. of Justice and their bosses. 'Let My People Go!!'
Freedom for Mumia Abu-Jamal. Investigate the Philadelphia police dept's
pattern of racist brutality and frame-ups including the case of Mumia
Abu-Jamal. It's time to put the real criminals on trial. We demand that
Judge Yohn grant Mumia's crucial request for an evideciary hearing so that
all the facts that aren't a part of the racist court records can be reviewed
in the Federal Appeals process.
Freedom for Leonard Peltier. Freedom for all our fighters that remain behind
bars for standing up to injustice. We must stand together to send the
strongest united message. Join us.
We need your help in planning and preparing this event.
Planning Meeting:
Sunday, Nov 7 - 6PM
HERE Local 2850
548 20th St - Oakland
(between Telegraph & San Pablo)
(near the 19th St BART Station)
There's only 5 weeks left, and we want to be at least 10,000 strong. For
this to succeed, everyone needs to pull out all the stops and pull together
as one. The hour is late. Your participation is critical. As Zach, from
'Rage Against the Machine' said in a tune on the David Letterman show last
night;
If not us, Who?
If not here, Where?
If not now, When?
Free Mumia Abu-Jamal!!
___________________________________________________
Initiated by the Black Radical Congress; twLF (third world Liberation
Front); Jericho; with participation from at least 25 other organizations
including the Mobilization, Third Eye, National Peoples Campaign, Refuse &
Resist, National Lawyers Guild, Oakland Teachers Assn., Black Panther Party
Alumni Committee, National Writers Union, United for Justice, UAW at UC-B,
ILWU(Longshore Union), East Bay Labor Party, Oct 22nd Campaign to Stop
Police Brutality, S. Bay Mobilization, Fireworx, Peace & Freedom, Malcolm X
Grassroots, N'COBRA, Coalition for a democratic Pacifica, and many others.
_____________________________________________________
For more info, call (510)595-1652 or (510)728-5950
==============================================>
From: Treasa Chennikara <campact@crisny.org>
Hi everyone,
There will be a Free Mumia Rally at SUNY Albany on
Nov 9 Tuesday from 12-1:30pm and there will also be a
further informational/action section at 9:30 the same night
in Lecture Center 5. More details to come...
Treasa Chennikara
President of Campus Action at SUNY Albany (C.A.S.A.)
Co-Chair of Campus Action (Albany Central Office)
(518)442-1248
tc2200@cnsvax.albany.edu
1400 Washington Avenue
SUNY Albany
Colonial Quad
Box 1202
Albany, NY 12222
======================================>
From: J P <philnpc@op.net>
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
To Contact Pam Africa/ICFFMAJ call 215-476-8812 or fax
215-476-7551; e-mail icffmaj@aol.com.
/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
2. NPC POSTCARD CAMPAIGN
The National Peoples Campaign-Philadelphia has initiated a postcard
campaign to Judge Yohn. We are collecting a signature on each
postcard, and will give them to Mumia’s lawyers when they are needed.
The body of the postcard is printed below. Anyone who wishes to get a
fax copy of the four-to-a-page layout should send a request and their
fax number to <philnpc@op.net>. Or produce your own postcards and
collect signatures to give to Mumia’s lawyers. Either way, Mumia needs
to show the judge he has mass support, and this is one more way to
show it.
“Honorable William H. Yohn, Jr.
I urge you to grant a stay of execution on Gov. Ridge’s death warrant
for Mumia Abu-Jamal.
I also join the Congressional Black Caucus, the Philadelphia Tribune,
Reverend Jesse Jackson and many others around the world in the hope
that a new trial will be deemed necessary.
Too many questions have thrown the fairness of the first trial into
doubt:
prosecutorial misconduct, an inept defense lawyer, police coercion &
intimidation of witnesses, and a judge biased against the defendant.
To execute a man whose guilt is not “ascertained without a doubt” would
be the greatest crime.
Sincerely, name_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
address_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
City, State, zip_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _”
-------------------------
/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
National Peoples Campaign & International Action Center -
Philadelphia 215-724-1618 - philnpc@op.net
==========================================>
From: Refuse & Resist! <rnradmin@calyx.net>
ReSent-From: Art McGee <amcgee@igc.org>
Police Repression in Weymouth
On november 10th at 9 Am, a group of students and youth will appear in Quincy
district court to face a variety of charges including disorderly conduct,
trespassing and felony "tagging." These charges are a result in the
defendants participation in and promotion of a student walkout and
neighborhood march to demand a new trial for political prisoner Mumia
Abu-Jamal. Abu-Jaml who was convicted in a sham trial, has spent the past
18 years on PAs death row. His case has become the focus of international
attention, especially since new evidence has been recently brought to light
about the police and judicial misconduct in the first trial. The only
crime these youth have committed is taking a stand on this case.
Police and school officials in Weymouth have gone out of there way to
extinguish any sparks of rebellion within the community. Besides the
previously mentioned arrests, students have been suspended for leafleting in
school, and teachers have been threatened with punishment for showing support
to politically active youth. It has become obvious that the powers that be
in Weymouth want it's residents to behave in a manner reminiscent of the
"good germans" of the third reich. Keep your mouth shut, stay inline or the
system will unleash it's dogs on you. You have the right to free speech just
watch what you say.
Let's be perfectly clear about who the real criminals are, who really deserve
to be locked up. This society operates in such a way that police in NYC can
shoot an unarmed black man 41 times or cops in LA can shoot a handcuffed
latino youth paralyzing him and then planting evidence that lead to his
imprisonment. It is also criminal when the cops try and stifle dissent by
arresting young activists. Many people who have learned the facts of Mumia's
case know that he was targeted by the FBI at age 15 for his involvement with
the black panther party. As he grew older and became known as the "voice of
the voiceless" to the poor and oppressed in the city he made even more
enemies. This is why he is facing a death penalty. In his own words, they
just don't want him dead they want him silent.
The police in Weymouth want silence too. They know that our power is
much greater then their illusion of power. They think that if they smack
us down
then we'll shut up and they can do whatever they want without facing any
consequences for their actions. Well, we refuse to be silent and we strongly
encourage you to speak out against injustice. We are asking all concerned
individuals and organizations to come to quincy court on Nov 10th to show
support and voice outrage about this.
Drop the charges
Stop police repression
Free Mumia Abu-Jamal
Come to the Quincy Courthouse Wensday, November 10th at 9:00 Am.
Call DA Kim Fogarty at
617-471-1650 to demand that the charges be dropped
Contact the boston Area Refuse and resist!
(781) 379-0074
or BostonRnR1@aol.com
***********************
Refuse & Resist!
305 Madison Ave., Suite 1166
NY, NY 10165
http://mojo.calyx.net/~refuse
refuse @calyx.com
************************
Refuse the politics of cruelty! Unleash a spirit of resistance!
Become a card-carrying member of Refuse & Resist!
************************
===========================================>
From: Rashid Shabazz <rashid.shabazz@yale.edu>
On Friday the 15th of October, supporters of Mumia Abu Jamal came from
around the state of Connecticut to protest the recent signing of MumiaUs
death warrant by Gov. Tom Ridge. Under the leadership of longtime
activist and community friend and elder, Black Panther George Edwards,
over fifty activists stood in front of the New Haven Federal Court House
to demand freedom for Mumia. Standing in unity with the New Haven
activists were students from Southern Connecticut State, Wesleyan and Yale
Universities. For nearly two hours the community and students activists
expressed concern about the unjust policies of the criminal justice system
and the recent events surrounding Mumia.
The following "Declaration of Solidarity and Unity" was the unifying theme
for the participants of the rally. The declaration read, "Hands Off
Mumia!"
"We the people, representing millions of people worldwide do declare our
undying love and support for justice and freedom for Mumia Abu-Jamal and
his unrelenting and courageous struggle for a new trial.
We the people do condemn and protest the signing of the death warrant by
Govenor Tom Ridge of Pennsylvania.
We the people call upon you the citizens, public and private, elected and
appointed, young and old, one and all to join hands together with the
millions of people worldwide in solidarity to say:
Hands off Mumia!!! No Execution!!! Free Mumia!!!"
Taking advantage of the fact that people were on their lunch break, the
protestors blanketed the downtown business district with informational
flyers detailing the history of MumiaUs case. Also numerous signatures
were obtained for petitions to notify Gov. Tom Ridge of the broad based
support Mumia Abu-Jamal has in the Connecticut area. This rally has been
one of many that the New Haven community has held for Mumia over the past
year and a half. The New Haven Justice Committee in Support of Prisoners
has consistently supported the efforts of the International Concerned
Family and Friends of Mumia Abu-Jamal since they began organizing to
assert Mumia' innocence, and to expose the corruption of the legal
system. Working with the New Haven Justice Committee has been numerous
student groups, a local chapter of Critical Resistance, the Campaign to
End the Death Penalty and the New Haven Progressive Action Roundtable.
The concern for many in attendance at the rally was the December 2, 1999
execution date. Some felt the date was chosen because of its position to
the holiday situation. Since many will be sharing time with family and
friends, the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays are one of many
diversions to take attention away from Mumia' dire situation. But with
this awareness the activists and students are more determined to ensure
organizing efforts do not stop with the coming of the holidays. For as
Native American Activist and political prisoner Leonard Peltier states,
"your work and help is needed more than ever. We must now live and breathe
Mumia' case 24 hours a day. If we are able in unity to stop the
execution of Mumia Abu Jamal, we are not only saving the life of a man who
speaks for those who are not often heard and whose stories are rarely
told, but you are saving all of us who remain unjustly behind bars from
the depths of hopelessness."
The rally on the 15th will surely be followed by further protests until
Mumia has been freed. If any local or non-local groups/organizations would
like to get further information on the events taking place in the New
Haven area please contact the New Haven Justice Committee in Support of
Prisoners at 203-789-8042. Finally, the New Haven community and student
activists in support of Mumia and all political prisoners are prepared to
collectively build with other organizations taking a local leadership role
surrounding these issues.
All power to the people
Free Mumia Abu Jamal
Free Sundiata Acoli
Free all political prisoners and prisoners of war.
rashid k. shabazz
========================================>
From: Staajabu <sostaajabu@ucdavis.edu>
Sacramento in da house!
Sacramento California - On Saturday, October 23, 1999, from 10am - 2pm
(actually, we were there until 5pm), over 50 people gathered at the
California African Museum on 3rd Avenue in Oak Park, to write letters on
behalf of bro. Mumia Abu-Jamal. Organized by Staajabu and V.S. Chochezi of
Straight Out Scribes, the letter writing session was able to send out 215
letters to Governor Ridge of PA, Governor Davis of California, Judge Yohn,
Bill Clinton, Lynn Abraham, supreme court justices, and local senators and
representatives. People came in groups, the came singly, they brought their
children. People of all ages came. High school students, college
students, elders. Thanks to all you who participated. It was a lively
gathering too, with CD's from Blu Magazine being played, Bro. Jahahara's
tape, video's of the case being shown, food, tea and much discussion being
shared. A regular study/discussion group is in the planning. Stay tuned.....
Come on Yall! Let's Get Busy! How long will they kill our prophets, while
we stand aside and Look????! FREE MUMIA!
====================================>
.
From: Pan-African News Wire <ac6123@wayne.edu>
==============================================================
Pan-African News Wire, Weekly Dispatch, Thursday, 4 Nov. 1999
==============================================================
Abu-Jamal Exposes State of Injustice
Editorial, Reprinted from the Detroit Sunday Journal, Oct. 31, 1999
Web site: http://www.rust.net/~workers/strike.html
At last, there may be justice for Mumia Abu-Jamal.
Abu-Jamal has been at the center of an overcharged emotional, legal and
racial firestorm for so long that the most important issue of his case has
gotten lost amid the furor. That issue is justice.
No American citizen should ever be punished without a fair trial.
"Innocent until proven guilty" is one of the foundations upon which our
justice system was built.
Abu-Jamal, who always has proclaimed his innocence, was convicted of
first-degree murder in the 1981 shooting death of police officer Daniel
Faulkner. Since the conviction, Abu-Jamal's lawyers have said witnesses
came forward to say they saw another man shoot Faulkner and run away.
For that reason and several others, a federal judge in Philadelphia last
week issued a stay of execution. There was no decision on whether
Abu-Jamal would get a new trial.
The stay comes only two weeks after Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge signed
Abu-Jamal's death warrant, despite knowing that a habeas corpus petition
from the defendant's lawyers was being filed for federal court review.
That petition cites fabrications and suppression of evidence, racial bias
in selecting jurors, and denial of the right to self-representation. It
also contains more than 29 issues of constitutional violations that
occurred in Abu-Jamal's trial and appeal. The petition is slightly more
than 150 pages long, and contains more than 600 paragraphs of allegations
pertinent to the case.
The death warrant signed by Gov. Ridge was the 171st he has signed since
1994. That is five times the number signed by his predecessors over a
25-year period. Ninety-nine perecent of the warrants signed by Ridge were
done while the defendant still had time to appeal. This governor has a
bloodlust that rivals Dracula's.
Ridge also signed Abu-Jamal's warrant despite recent calls from the
Philadelphia and Pennsylvania Bar Associations for a moratorium on
executions until the death penalty system is proved just. A major factor
in this is raw, systemic racism. Just as an example, only 9 percent of
Pennsylvania's population is African-American, yet African-Americans account
for 62 percent of inmates on death row. This is the largest racial
disparity of any state in the nation.
As if that isn't enough, a 10-year study by Professor David Baldus of the
University of Iowa College of Law found that a young African-American man
growing up in Philadelphia is 11.5 times more likely to end up on death
row there than in Georgia and Alabama.
Something is terribly wrong with Pennsylvania's idea of justice, and
organized labor is trying to do something about it. The executive board
of UAW Local 417, which represents an estimated 2,000 auto parts workers,
voted Oct. 12 to support the struggle against Abu-Jamal's execution and
the call for a new trial. The Southeast Michigan Local of the National
Writers Union, representing about 100 writers, voted that same day to
support Abu-Jamal. On Oct. 11, Southeast Michigan Jobs and Justice, which
is backed by UAW Local 600, Teamsters Local 2040, other local unions and
the Detroit Metro Chapter of the Labor Party, voted in favor of solidarity
with Abu-Jamal.
There's something wrong with justice in Pennsylvania, and a new trial for
Abu-Jamal would be a good first step in fixing the system.*
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Editor's Note: The Sunday Journal newspaper was founded by the striking
Detroit Newspaper workers in 1995. These trade unionists have been locked
out of their jobs for over four years. E-mail: detjourn@aol.com .
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============================================================================
Pan-African News Wire articles may be broadly forwarded for non-profit
research and educational purposes. We do request that any repostings
include a citation of the original source. Redistribution for profit is
strictly prohibited without the expressed consent of the Pan-African News
Wire.
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FREE MUMIA AND ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS!
ABOLISH THE RACIST, CLASSIST DEATH PENALTY!