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Demanding that the truth be heard in the case of Mumia
Abu-Jamal, supporters will go ahead with a planned
demonstration Feb. 11 in Philadelphia despite the
cancellation of a hearing on his case sche duled for
that day in front of Pennsylvania State Court Judge
Pamela Dembe.
That
hearing was to present two key facts proving that the
prosecution falsified evidence in order to convict
Abu-Jamal. The reason given for the cancellation was
that the "Johnson Ruling issued Dec. 20, 2004, may
prohibit Dembe from ruling on the evidence."
According to Abu-Jamal's attorney Robert R. Bryan,
however, the Johnson Ruling has nothing to do with the
evidence being presented. Dembe's latest ruling is
clearly just one more in a long history of blatant
denials of justice in the case of Mumia Abu-Jamal.
Pam
Africa, coordinator of the Inter national Concerned
Family and Friends of Mumia Abu-Jamal, told Workers
World, "Despite Judge Dembe's absurd cancellation of
Mumia's hearing, the February 11 demonstration will go
on as earlier plan ned. Dembe's action is consistent
with all the fraud, lies, deceit and irregularities
marring Mumia's case. The courts have attempted to stunt
the people's power on behalf of Mumia by canceling at
the eleventh hour to stop our momentum. However,
protesting now is relevant and urgent. We need to be
present, visible and vocal in our demands that Mumia's
hearing be reinstated, with him present, to let the
evidence be heard, and ultimately to release Mumia."
Demonstrators will gather at 10 a.m. at 15th and Cherry
Streets, then march to the Criminal Justice Building at
13th and Filbert for a rally and press conference.
Supporters will hold a symposium from 1:30 to 5 p.m. at
1501 Cherry on Mumia's role in the struggle, the status
of his legal case and building the international support
movement. An evening cultural event/ fundraiser from 7
to 10 p.m. will follow.
Mumia's
supporters are asking people to call Judge Dembe to
demand that Mumia's hearing be reinstated with him
present. Dembe's phone number is 215-683-7148; her fax
number is 215-683-7150.
Africa
pointed out that "Dembe is currently feeling the
collective heat of her colleagues in the Fraternal Order
of Police (FOP), the District Attorney's office,
governor's mansion and on up to the top. To see Mumia
walk out free from SCI-Greene we need to make our
people's pressure greater than what Dembe is
experiencing from the other side. There is only one way
to do that -- join together!"
Support
gaining momentum
The call
for justice for Mumia Abu-Jamal has been gaining new
momentum as the San Francisco Board of Supervisors
passed a resolution Jan. 11 by a nine-to-two vote
calling for justice and a new trial for Abu-Jamal. They
will send the resolution to Pennsylvania Gov. Ed
Rendell.
In
November 2004 a resolution by the National Caucus of
Black State Legislators demanded that the courts
consider the evidence of innocence of Mumia Abu-Jamal
and that he be released from prison. The resolution
commits the NCBSL to work with Abu-Jamal's legal defense
team to petition the courts to file any necessary friend
of the court brief on behalf of Abu-Jamal in order to
vacate his conviction. The resolution describes
Abu-Jamal's 1982 trial in Philadelphia (for the murder
of Philadelphia policeman Daniel Faulk ner) as
"characterized by illegal suppression of evidence,
police coercion, illegal exclusion of Black jurors and
grotes quely unfair and unconstitutional rulings by the
judge."
The
NAACP also passed a similar resolution at their national
convention in Phila delphia last summer.
For
transportation from New York City for the Feb. 11
protest in Philadelphia call the International Action
Center at 212-633-6646. For general information on the
Feb. 11 protest call 215-476-8812 or visit the ICFFMAJ
web site at www.mumia.org.
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