April 29, 2006 - U.S. Delegation Goes to France for Mumia Street Naming!
From International Concerned Family and Friends of Mumia Abu-Jamal:
APRIL 29, 2006
WHERE: Saint-Denis, France
WHAT: A large U.S. delegation will be joining a ceremony in France for the naming of a newly constructed street next to the Nelson Mandela Stadium in honor of Mumia. All are welcome to make the trip!
CONTACT: For information contact the International Concerned Family and Friends of Mumia Abu-Jamal, (215) 476-8812, www.mumia.org
1/24/06 Legal Update from Attorney Robert Bryan
12/16/05 Detailed Article, "Major Court Victory for Mumia Abu-Jamal" by Jeff Mackler on 12/6/05 court decision
Download: 12-6-05 Order
PLEASE CIRCULATE WIDELY!
12/6/05
Dear Friends of Mumia Abu-Jamal,
Today we received the following communication from Robert R. Bryan, chief counsel for Mumia Abu-Jamal. Bryan considers the decision of the U.S. Court of Appeals, Third Circuit to grant new certificates of appealabilty on two critical issues to be extremely important in regard to winning a new trial for Mumia.
Claim #16 below had already been certified for appeal. But the other two claims had been rejected by the Federal District Court for consideration on appeal. That is, the previous Judge William H. Yohn Jr. refused to grant the necessary "certificates of appealability" to have the higher court consider vital issues.
With the December 6 decision of the U.S. Court of Appeals, this has now been reversed, opening the door to arguments that till now been excluded.
We will have additional details in the days to come. For now, we can celebrate a political and legal victory for Mumia that should open the way to renewed and extensive work towards winning Mumia's freedom.
Contributions toward this fight can be mailed to:
The Mobilization to Free Mumia Abu-Jamal
298 Valencia Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
In solidarity,
Jeff Mackler and Laura Herrera, Co-coordinators
The Mobilization to Free Mumia Abu-Jamal
298 Valencia Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
415-255-1085
alerts@freemumia.org
LETTER FROM ROBERT R. BRYAN:
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Tuesday, 6 Dec 2005
Mumia Abu-Jamal - Decision, U.S. Court of Appeals [PLEASE CIRCULATE]
Dear Friends and Supporters: Today the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit issued the most important decision affecting my client, Mumia Abu-Jamal, since the lower federal court ruling in December 2001. An order was issued this morning that the court will accept for review the following issues, all of which are of enormous constitutional significance and go to the very essence of Mumia's right to a fair trial due process of law, and equal protection of the law under the Fifth, Sixth and Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution:
* Claim 14: Whether appellant was denied his constitutional rights due to the prosecution's trial summation.
* Claim 16: Whether the Commonwealth's use of peremptory challenges at trial violated appellant's constitutional rights under Batson v. Kentucky, 476 U.S. 79 (1986).
* Claim 29: Whether appellant was denied due process during post-conviction proceedings as a result of alleged judicial bias.
Claim 16 concerns the prosecutorial use of racism in jury selection. The record establishes beyond question that racism is a major thread that has run through this case since Mumia's 1981 arrest, and continues to today. Claim 14 relates to the guilt phase. It includes the prosecutor's argument that if convicted Mumia would have "appeal after appeal." That comment effectively lessened the burden of the jurors, and turned the concept of reasonable doubt and presumption of innocence on its head. Claim 29 is about the bias and incredible racism of Judge Albert Sabo, the trial judge. Unfortunately, it is limited to his conduct at the 1995 evidentiary (PCRA) hearing, rather than his monstrous behavior at trial. This restriction is because all of the prior attorneys mistakenly did not attack Sabo's misconduct at trial, an unfortunate oversight and mistake The court has also issued a briefing schedule. The case is now on the fast track, as I have been predicting. The opening briefs are due to be filed by January 17, 2006. Please post this e-mail and the attached Order on your web sites, and circulate it. Today we achieved a great victory in the campaign to win a new trial and the eventual freedom of Mumia. Your support, and activism, is badly needed and appreciated. With best wishes,
Robert R. Bryan
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Law Offices of Robert R. Bryan
2088 Union Street, Suite 4
San Francisco, California 94123 Lead counsel for Mumia Abu-Jamal
10/25/05 Download: The Case of Mumia Abu-Jamal Information Booklet
Produced by ICFFMAJ - valuable organizing tool - print and distribute widely!
7/25/05 The Heat is On in Mumia's Case - Kiilu Nyasha Interviews Robert R. Bryan, Lead Attorney of Mumia Abu-Jamal, KPFA 94.1 FM
