[Mumia] Abu-Jamal case back before Philadelphia court (nearly 30 years after he killed a cop)

Yahoo! News (AP) ^ | 11/09/2010 | Maryclaire Dale

[Pyro7480]

Police widows and supporters of death-row activist Mumia Abu-Jamal listened Tuesday as federal appeals judges debated whether the former Black Panther deserves a new sentencing hearing in a police officer's death.

The appeals court had granted the new sentencing hearing on the grounds that the jury at Abu-Jamal's 1982 trial was not given proper death-penalty instructions. But the U.S. Supreme Court this year, in rejecting a similar Ohio case, ordered the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals judges to rethink its decision.

Under Pennsylvania law, Abu-Jamal should have received a life sentence if a single juror found the mitigating circumstances outweighed the aggravating factors in the slaying of Officer Daniel Faulkner.

In 2008, the three-judge appeals panel found the verdict form potentially misleading, given its repeated use of the word "unanimous," even in the section on mitigating circumstances. But the Supreme Court, as Senior Judge Robert Cowen noted Tuesday, "pooh poohed" that reasoning.

Nonetheless, the judges still seemed to see significant differences between the Abu-Jamal and Ohio cases.

"This court already agreed with (our argument), and it seems to me that they don't see any reasons to change their minds," Judith Ritter, a law professor who represents Abu-Jamal, said after the hourlong hearing.

Philadelphia prosecutor Hugh J. Burns Jr., though, called the jury instructions in the two cases nearly identical.

"They were never told they had to be unanimous on each mitigating circumstance," Burns said of the Abu-Jamal case....

[Pyro7480]

It's amazing we're still discussing this case and that Mumia still draws breath.

[GregoryFul]

A society that cannot quickly execute a proven cop killer is well on its way to the trash-heap of history.

And the morons who come out supporting Mumia, my God, what a bunch of stinking, utterly stupid creeps. Where's the bolt of lightning?

[A.A. Cunningham]

The forgotten victim

[Mrs. Don-o]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but as far as I know, Mumia never even claimed he didn't shoot Danny Faulkner. Never explicitly denied that he did it.

And of course never repented.

Right?

It blows my mind that the Bruderhof people are still supporting him. Not from a pacifist, "in principle against capital pubnihsment" thing --- that I could understand --- but actually "poor Mumia, good Mumia, noble Mumia."

I shake my head.

[70times7]

FREE MUMIA!

...from this mortal coil.

[doc1019]

He is the best argument for a “one appeal an out” law. If a mistake is made, let God sort it out.

[Drango]

FRY MUMIA

[Carley]

According to William Ayers this cop killer is merely a political prisoner.

[Freddd]

Is that why we haven’t been seeing mouthy Marc Lamont Hill, recently?...

[Inyo-Mono]

Me too. He’s a cop killer for crying out load! Fry Mumia!

[Freedom4US]

What’s his real name?

[reg45]

Fry Mumia

[reg45]

Fry Mumia

[Mrs. Don-o]

Mumia Abu-Jamal - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mumia Abu-Jamal (born Wesley Cook on April 24, 1954)...

[Big E]

Don't expect Mumia to ever be executed. The fact is, Pennsylvania has the death penalty, but never uses it. Ever. I think the last person we executed was serial killer Gary Heidnik, and that was only because he asked to be executed. We have just too many arrogant judges and lawyers here in PA who believe their view of the law trumps the Legislature.

[Bronzy]

A book by Michael Smerconish< http://www.smerconish.com/includes/news_items/4/news_items_more.php?id=22&section_id=4

[Wally_Kalbacken]

Light that m*********** up!

[Tribune7]

ping

[Dr. Scarpetta]

Don't expect Mumia to ever be executed. The fact is, Pennsylvania has the death penalty, but never uses it. Ever.

Exactly right...

[John O]

all moslems are terrorists