PRESS ALERT: NY Protest March 25 part of International Offensive Demanding Freedom for Mumia Abu-Jamal

PRESS ALERT
Friday, March 16, 2018

Contact: Johnnie Stevens (917)402-4755 and Gwen Debrow (718)849-6880

NY Protest March 25 part of International Offensive Demanding Freedom for Mumia Abu-Jamal

A protest demanding the release of former Black Panther Party spokesman, journalist, author and human rights activist Mumia Abu-Jamal will start at the US Mission (799 UN Plaza) at 12 noon on Sunday, March 25. Part of world-wide actions March 24-27, the NY march will end in Times Square at 2pm for a final rally. Shot and then brutally beaten by police and framed for the death of a Philadelphia cop 36 years ago, Abu-Jamal has always maintained his innocence. The evidence proves he is factually innocent. His conviction was the result of police and presecutorial misconduct and judicial prejudice. The trial and post-conviction “hanging judge” Albert Sabo, stated at the time of Abu-Jamal’s trial, “I’m going to help them fry the n—r.” Now, there is a new legal action that could lead to overturning his conviction.

The March 25 demonstration begins at the United Nations to point out Abu-Jamal’s support around the world, as evidenced by the number of signers to an open letter to DA Krasner and Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf entitled: “International Call to Release the District Attorney and Police Files Relevant to Mumia Abu-Jamal’s Case and to Free Him Now,” initiated by the Fanon Foundation. Supporters collected hundreds of signers, including Angela Davis, Danny Glover, Dr. Cornel West, Archbishop Desmond Tutu from South Africa, Puerto Rican Nationalist hero Oscar López Rivera and Len McCluskey, general secretary of UNITE, the largest union in Great Britain. Numerous elected officials and political activists from France, Germany, Great Britain, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, South Africa, Australia, Haiti, Mexico, Canada, the U.S. and other countries also added their names and positions. (www.freemumia.com)

A coalition of Mumia support organizations have created a petition calling for the District Attorney to release all DA & police files on Mumia to the public and to release Mumia because he’s factually innocent. (https://mobilization4mumia.com/actions/)

A call for solidarity actions March 24-27 to demand freedom for Mumia Abu-Jamal and all political prisoners is picking up steam. The March 25th demonstration is the culmination of three days of actions in New York City.

On Friday, March 23, there will be an indoor program, “Break Down Walls Prison Plantations: Mumia, Migrants and Movements for Liberation”, at Holyrood Episcopal Church, 715 West 179th at 7:30PM. Guest speakers for the evening include Pam Africa, co-founder and Minister of Confrontation of the International Concerned Family & Fiends of Mumia Abu-Jamal. Also speaking will be Samuel Spital, NAACP Legal Defense Fund and part of Mumia’s legal team; Mariame Kaba, Educator, Prison Abolitionist and organizer; Father Barrios, Minister of Holyrood Church and more. There will be a community dinner beforehand starting at 6:00PM.

On March 24, the call for Abu-Jamal’s freedom will be a significant part of the Jericho Amnesty Movement’s 20th Anniversary event, 5 – 9pm, at Holyrood Episcopal Church, 715 W. 179th St, New York.

In Detroit Michigan during a conference to organize resistance to the bank and corporate war on the working class, otherwise known as austerity, audio commentaries from Mumia will be played focusing on prisons and labor rights. The important conference will specifically express solidarity with the movement to free him.

The Texas Death Penalty Abolitionist Movement will do a banner drop for Mumia over Houston’s busiest freeway on Monday, March 26.

Solidarity actions are also being organized in Oakland, Toronto, Paris, London, Mexico City, Johannesburg and other cities around the world. For further details about solidarity events focusing on Mumia and other U.S. political prisoners, visit www.freemumia.com and click on March 24- 27 Events.

Mumia is in ill health due to cirrhosis of the liver, causing unrelenting itching on most of his body, loss of weight, swollen ankles and other symptoms, which make it more urgent that he finally be freed after 36 years in prison.

Ronald Castille is a former PA Supreme Court judge who refused to disqualify himself when Mumia’s case came before the court despite having been the Philadelphia District Attorney during Mumia’s prior appeals. Judge Leon Tucker has a standing order to the District Attorney’s office to produce evidence in reference to Castille’s role. Despite the evidence already produced proving DA Castille’s personal involvement in insuring Abu-Jamal’s execution, the continuing position of the Philadelphia DA’s office is that that no evidence is yet there to grant Abu-Jamal’s new action. New Philadelphia DA Larry Krasner has asked for continuances to determine what position and policy his office will have to this case.

On Tuesday, March 27, 9:00 AM at the Philadelphia Court of Commons Pleas (Criminal Justice Center), 1301 Filbert Street, Room 1108, Judge Leon Tucker has ordered a status hearing to determine the status of DA Krasner’s position and the continuing search for documents that point to retired Judge Ronald Castille’s prior involvement in the Abu-Jamal case.

On April 30, there will be an evidentiary hearing for the Mumia Abu-Jamal. The testimony Judge Leon Tucker hears will determine whether Castille violated Abu-Jamal’s constitutional rights and whether to reinstate Mr. Abu-Jamal’s rights to appeal his conviction to the PA Supreme Court.