Court denies a fair trial: The fight for Mumia’s freedom continues

On March 31, news of Judge Lucretia Clemons’ decision to deny Mumia Abu-Jamal his right to a fair trial spread instantly around the world, even though in the U.S., the major media remained silent. Those who were expecting this outcome and those who had remained hopeful — all suffered grim disappointment.

The media headlines focused solely on the indictment of Donald Trump. Does the media coverage and headlines mean that democracy prevails because of the indictment of an actual criminal whose major crime, they say, is the loathsomeness in which the former president likes to wallow?

In real-time, did the Pennsylvania judge, with corrupt brutality underscoring her decision, say it was too late for justice and democracy to prevail in Mumia’s case? Did the court decision from the USA, a country with a history of racist bondage, resonate worldwide? Yes!

Despite the timing of the court decision in Mumia’s case, this was suspiciously released when the media was flooded with news of Trump’s indictment, interviews with his supporters, and many florid photos. Moreover, it was released on a Friday, just before the court closed for the weekend.

Did those who petitioned the judge, including major international unions and civil rights organizations, call for anything more than a new trial? Their letters were based on newly disclosed evidence that clearly delineated the machinations behind the police frameup and his racist mistrial. Wasn’t it within the most conservative bounds of democracy to allow the court to hear the long-buried evidence of Mumia’s innocence for the first time?

Prisoner Mumia, with unyielding integrity and courage, never ceases to demand the freedom of all political prisoners. His writings and books analyzing racist conditions of mass incarceration present undeniable truth. He speaks for a myriad of political prisoners like Leonard Peltier and Jamil Abdullah Al-Amin.

If Mumia Abu-Jamal was not innocent — if he had not been wrongfully imprisoned for 41 years, spending the first 28.5 years on Pennsylvania’s death row until his death sentence was confirmed unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2011 — if this innocent man was not now serving a sentence of life in prison without parole would there be any reason for Judge Clemons to attempt to crush his chance for a new trial?

Help build and plan protests for Mumia’s freedom on Sunday, April 23. Monday, April 24, is his birthday. The struggle continues. We will fight to free Mumia. 

Write to Mumia Abu-Jamal at:

Smart Communications/PADOC
Mumia Abu-Jamal, AM 8335
SCI Mahanoy
c/o PO Box 33028
St Petersburg, FL 33733