MUMIA: Beyond A Reasonable Doubt (fwd)
Abdul Salau
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Thu, 23 May 1996 23:29:03 -0700
From: Jahfree I Kupendua <natt...@ix.netcom.com>
To: natt...@webcom.com
Subject: MUMIA: Beyond A Reasonable Doubt
BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT!
The following article was written in July 1983 by The War
Correspondent, Del Jones, who covered Mumia's 1982 trial for the
Frontline News Service. If you've never read this article, now is
your chance to read what stood as the most complete rendering of
the reasonable doubts in Mumia's case until the new legal team of
Leonard Weinglass, et al. began digging up witnesses and new
evidence in the 1990s. Most of the witness discussed here gave
testimony at the 1995 Post Conviction Relief Act hearings before
Judge Sabo.
These facts continue to be Reasonable Doubts. Now,
thanks to the efforts of people all over the world, there are even
more Reasonable Doubts, most notably the fact the Officer Faulkner
was shot with a .45 gun, and the gun Mumia owned was a .38.
This is why we continue to demand:
A NEW TRIAL FOR MUMIA ABU-JAMAL!
==============================
AREN'T THESE REASONABLE DOUBTS?
by Del Jones
Frontline News Service
It was over a year ago, on Friday July 2. Judge Albert Sabo gave
the jury four possible verdicts to consider: murder in the first
degree, murder in the third degree, manslaughter and not guilty.
Remember he must be found guilty beyond a shadow of a doubt.
1. On the night of the incident, cab driver Robert Chobert said the
man who shot Officer Faulkner ran down the block. However, at
the trial, he said the man "slumped down on the curb 10 feet
away."
IS THIS A REASONABLE DOUBT?
2. Cynthia White, the so-called star witness, is a convicted
prostitute and she claims to have seen the D.A.'s version of the
incident. However, the D.A. admitted in open court that he
allowed White's friend to sign his own bail in return for her
testimony. Also, no one can place White at the scene, even her
friend Veronica Jones, another prostitute. Finally, White claims
she did not see Mumia with a gun nor notice which hand he
allegedly shot with, yet the jury believed she was an eyewitness.
IS THIS A REASONABLE DOUBT?
3. Jeff Scanlon, a white businessman, testified that he saw the
defendant standing over the body firing. However, on the night of
the incident, in a written statement to police, he described the
"assailant" as heavyset with an Afro-hairstyle. The defendant
wears dreadlocks.
IS THIS A REASONABLE DOUBT?
4. Dr. Coleta, Abu-Jamal's attending physician, speculated that
moments after being shot under the right nipple, with the bullet
tearing through his liver, Abu-Jamal was "weak and one the verge
of fainting." Then how could he have fought police and confessed
several times either at the scene or at the hospital?
IS THIS A REASONABLE DOUBT?
5. Officer Gary Bell claims Abu-Jamal confessed to him as he
looked up from a hospital floor (what is the patient doing on the
floor) and said "I shot the motherfucker and I hope the
motherfucker dies." However, this statement was made on
February 25, after Bell and others were charged with police
brutality in the Mumia case. No form 7548 (incident report) was
filed by Bell about the alleged confession and he says he spoke to
no one about it . . . it slipped his mind.
IS THIS A REASONABLE DOUBT?
6. Dessie Hightower, a Black man, testified that Faulkner's gun
was still in his holster when he was put into a wagon on route to
the hospital. He witnessed the brutal beating of Mumia and the
"accidental" ramming of his head into a pole. But more
importantly, he saw a man run from the scene in dreadlocks.
IS THIS A REASONABLE DOUBT?
7. Medical Examiner Sargent Westerman, in a written report, said
"the assailant was subsequently shot by police reinforcements."
This evidence was suppressed by Judge Sabo; however, copies
were leaked to the press.
IS THIS A REASONABLE DOUBT?
8. Veronica Jones retracted her testimony stating she saw two men
walk then jog away from the scene. However, the jury obviously
chose to believe the testimony of two prostitutes who live outside
the law and were obviously coerced by the system.
IS THIS A REASONABLE DOUBT?
9. Then we have Detective William Thomas, who was in charge
of the whole investigation and described himself as the hub of the
wheel that all the spokes fed into. This 15 year veteran did not
have the TRACE METAL TEST done to determine if Mumia or
Faulkner held a weapon that night, nor did he dust Mumia's cab
for prints. He did have photos taken of William Cook with a hat
on and identified a piece of evidence as the hat. However, on
closer inspection he had to admit that the hat in his hand was not
the one in the photo. It was proven it was not Mumia's. Could it
have been the property of someone who had fled the scene?
IS THIS A REASONABLE DOUBT?
I could go on and on, but let's get to the question. How could a
jury look at such a raggedy case and convict a man of murder-one
and strap him to the electric chair, then shuffle out for some bar-b-
que, fireworks and a day in the sun!?
This reporter has been saying all along that when Judge Sabo
stopped Mumia from defending himself during the jury selection
process, Assistant District Attorney Joseph McGill got the type of
jury prosecutors dream of. Meanwhile, Mumia's constitutional
rights were stepped on like his body was, at the scene and in the
hospital.
Judge Sabo even refused to call a cop off of vacation, a cop who
had in written statement to the police investigators said, "the
defendant made no comment." He was guarding Mumia at the
hospital. Somebody is lying and now a Black man must die.
-------- 30 ---------
(c) 1983 by the Frontline News Service.
In the spirit of Freedom and Justice, please repost and reprint this article.
============= more =================
Update:
MILLION LETTERS FOR MUMIA Campaign A Big Success!
The Million Letter Campaign was a huge success! On Monday
May 20, U.S. Justice Department officials gave International
Concerned Family & Friends of Mumia Abu-Jamal receipts for
1,000,000 letters demanding a Civil Rights investigation into
Mumia's case by Janet Reno!
Credit the Free Mumia Abu-Jamal Coalition of N.Y. for
spearheading this monumental task, and to the D.C. Coalition to
Free Mumia for making everyone feel at home before, during and
after the Historic Million Letter March from Howard University
to the Justice Department on May 20.
THE JAMAL SUMMIT, 1996
What is known as "Freedom Week" in Philadelphia is, to
Mumia's supporters, actually a celebration of State Murder.
During this time, tourists flock to Phila. from around the
world to see the "cradle of democracy," the so-called Birthplace
of Freedom, Justice and Equality.
They are lured by the hype, but the real truth is revealed
in how this nation has treated its people of color, poor folks, and
other minorities. After bombing 11 babies, women and men on
May 13, 1985, after framing Mumia Abu-Jamal, and despite world
attention paid to corruption that exists from the President to the
Precincts, Philadelphia's multi million dollar Fourth of July Show, the
so-called Freedom Festival, will draw millions.
We urge everyone with a conscience to boycott with a
vengeance the Philly Fourth, hosted this year by Mayor Rendell
(D.A. during Mumia's 1982 trial), D.A. Lynn Abraham (Judge
who signed May 13 warrants), Gov. Tom Ridge (signed over 50
death warrants, including Mumia's, in less than 2 years in office),
and Supreme Court Justice Ron Castile (D.A. on May 13, 1985).
Instead, we are calling on people to come to Philadelphia on the
Fourth of July for the JAMAL SUMMIT!
For several years now, we have demonstrated our objection
to all the system's Human Rights Abuses on July 4th, to
commemorate the beginning of Mumia's Death March. We'd like
you to join us this year as we have our annual JAMAL SUMMIT,
a gathering of the Movement for Social Justice, to plan strategies
for the coming summer.
While plans are preliminary at this time, we know we will
be gathering on July 4, 1996 at City Hall, Philadelphia, at HIGH
NOON. The International Concerned Family & Friends of Mumia has
announced plans for a commemorative magazine, also called THE JAMAL
SUMMIT. For advertising info, call (215) 476-8812.
Last year we marched down Market Street to the Liberty
Bell pavilion, and assembled across the street at Quadrangle Park
for speakers, conscious entertainment and networking. Expect the
same this year. This will be a time for the entire world to
converge on Philadelphia, not for fireworks and barbecue, but to
demonstrate, and to make plans to ensure that the politicians and
executioners Keep Their Hands OFF of Mumia!
See ya' at City Hall on the Fourth! At High Noon. Stay tuned for more
details.
Jahfree I
Afrikan Frontline Network
http://www.webcom.com/nattyreb
FREE MUMIA NOW!