Posted on 01/21/2002 9:33:40 PM PST by jf55510
Philadelphia: known for the Liberty Bell, misuse of justice
The time has come to free Mumia Abu-Jamal.
In fact, it is past time to set this man free. He should have been freed years ago. Ideally, he never should have been sent to prison in the first place. His case is a tragic miscarriage of justice, and people need to know about it, or else it could happen to them as well.
Many of you might not know who Abu-Jamal is. Some of you might have seen signs that saying "Free Mumia" around Austin. Abu-Jamal is a journalist and former Black Panther who, in 1982, was convicted of the murder of Aubrey Hawkins, a Philadelphia police officer.
While driving a cab to help make ends meet, he came across Hawkins, who was reportedly beating Abu-Jamal’s brother (a common practice for Philly cops at the time). Abu-Jamal intervened and both the officer and Abu-Jamal were shot. Hawkins was killed; Abu-Jamal was taken to the hospital and beaten by the police.
Not much is known about the actual shooting and not much was found out in court. Abu-Jamal was put on trial in the court of Albert Sabo, a judge who had sentenced more people to death than any other sitting judge in the United States.
The jury was empanelled only after 11 qualified African Americans were dismissed for no reason. This was an illegal practice recently revealed as a training technique to Philadelphia prosecutors.
Abu-Jamal’s court-appointed attorney did not interview a single witness in preparation for the trial and said in advance he was not prepared. He held meetings with the judge and prosecutors without Abu-Jamal’s knowledge or presence. No investigations into ballistics or pathology were conducted because the defense was not allocated any funds.
The prosecution contended that Abu-Jamal confessed in the hospital, but the officer assigned to guard him wrote in his report "the Negro made no statements." When the officer was called, the defense was informed that he was unavailable. In fact, he was sitting at home. None of the other hospital employees heard any "confession" either. The only claims to a confession being made happened two months after the incident.
The prosecution claimed that ballistics evidence pointed to Abu-Jamal’s gun, but the jury never saw the medical examiner’s report. Hawkins was shot with a .44-caliber bullet; Abu-Jamal had a .38-caliber gun.
The police never tested Abu-Jamal’s gun or his hands to see if he fired a weapon that night. A bullet fragment pulled out of Hawkins’ body was lost. The only reason Abu-Jamal had a gun on him was because he had been robbed several times as a cab driver.
The prosecution claimed eyewitnesses identified Abu-Jamal as the shooter, but the jury never heard from William Singeltary, who witnessed the entire incident and said Abu-Jamal didn’t shoot anybody that night. He was intimidated by the police and later moved from the city.
The police also intimidated witnesses for the prosecution. Veronica Jones was threatened with the loss of her children if she did not testify against Abu-Jamal. Robert Chobert told police he saw the shooter running from the scene. None of the other witnesses can even remember seeing Cynthia White at the scene, but she backed the police version of the shooting. When Jones decided to testify in Abu-Jamal’s defense, she was arrested in the courtroom on an old, out-of-state warrant.
Abu-Jamal’s trial began in June of 1982, and he was sentenced to death July 3, 1982.
There is more to tell, but I can’t fit it all into this column. I will say that appeal after appeal has been denied. Someone has even come forward and confessed to being the real shooter, but he has been ignored.
What is inescapable is this: Abu-Jamal was put on trial because of his unrepentant political views. As an award-winning journalist and former Black Panther, he was subject to intimidation and harassment by an abusive and racist police department.
The FBI started a file on him when he was 15 years old (anybody remember COINTELPRO?). Had Abu-Jamal been white, this issue never would have existed.
Justice is long overdue for Abu-Jamal. He recently got his death sentence thrown out by a federal judge, but Pennsylvania is moving to reinstate it. He may not have much time left.
I urge you to educate yourselves about this man and his cause. Go to (www.mumia.org) and explore the issue for yourself. One day, you might find yourself on the other side of the tale. If it happened to Abu-Jamal, it can happen to you.
Surrender yourself to the Sidebar Moderator for gross language.
A boldfaced lie. He had one of the highest conviction rates in Philly but still was a far cry from the most lethal judge in America. But this is inconsequential to a case. So what if a judge convicts 20 or 200 people. Is there a limit on the amount of guilty people a judge can try?
'The jury was empanelled only after 11 qualified African Americans were dismissed for no reason'
Yet another lie. Only a few black jurors were dismissed. All were given a reason why. 2 of which were done so after willfully violating sequestration.
'No investigations into ballistics or pathology were conducted because the defense was not allocated any funds'
They were alloted several thousands of dollars. I beleive the total was around 40,000$. There are court receipts if he cares to challenge this.
'Hawkins was shot with a .44-caliber bullet; Abu-Jamal had a .38-caliber gun.'
False, FAULKNER was shot with a .38. A acoroner noted that "the victim was shot multiple times by what APPEARS to be a .44". He later testified it was an offhand guess, not an educated opinion.
'Robert Chobert told police he saw the shooter running from the scene'
Funny Chobert was a prosecution eyewitness who testified he saw "Mumia shoot FAULKNER"
'As an award-winning journalist and former Black Panther, he was subject to intimidation and harassment by an abusive and racist police department.'
He won ZERO awards. He claimed to win the peabody but the awards committee flat out denied he has even been considered for one. He was unknown before his murderr as a journalist.
'The FBI started a file on him when he was 15 years old'
What a coincidence. Another lie.
Got to danielfaulkner.com
Waht I said though was....The officer's name is Faulkner though. The article can't even get that right.
I guess aubreyhawkins.com was taken so they changed the officers name....
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