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Demonstrate Friday, March 28 For Freedom for Mumia Abu-Jamal! In a cruel blow to justice this morning, March 27, a three-judge panel of the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected the appeal by political prisoner and Black radical journalist Mumia Abu-Jamal for a new trial. The panel upheld Mumia's false 1982 conviction for the murder of a Philadelphia policeman, gained by racist jury selection, coercion of witnesses, and violation of Mumia's constitutional rights. The panel's long-awaited decision also said that if the prosecution wishes to reinstate the death penalty against Abu-Jamal, which was overturned by a previous judge, it must hold a new jury hearing, which could reconsider only Mumia's sentencing, not his conviction. The only sentencing options are the death penalty or life in prison without the possibility of parole. The voices of all of Mumia's supporters need to be lifted immediately to protest this appalling decision! The ruling ignores a record of racist bias in this case that is now more than 25 years long. Mumia has been outspoken against police misconduct and on behalf of African Americans and all the oppressed since his teenage years as a member of the Black Panther Party. It is because he is a leader with integrity and principles that he became a target of the system. And we cannot afford to let that system silence Mumia as it has silenced too many of our militant movement leaders in the past! What we do now is crucial. Robert Bryan, Mumia's head attorney, says that he will appeal the new decision, which included a strong dissent by one member of the three-judge panel in Mumia's favor. It is time to shake the system to demand freedom for Mumia! Demonstrations are being held on March 28 around the country to insist on a new trial to overturn Mumia's framed-up conviction. National demonstrations will take place on April 19 in San Francisco and April 26 in Philadelphia. Join FSP at these March 28 protests or find one in your city: Seattle: 4:00 p.m., Federal Court House, downtown at 700 Stewart St. Los Angeles: 5:00 p.m., U.S. Federal Courthouse, 312 N. Spring St. New York: 5:00 p.m., Adam Clayton Powell State Office Building, 125th and Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd. Portland, OR: 4:00-6:00 p.m., Terry Shrunk Plaza, SW 3rd & Madison San Francisco: 5:00 p.m., Federal Court House, 7th and Mission For more information and news updates, visit www.freemumia.com and www.freemumia.org . |
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