Note: Mumia Abul - Jamal. Author: unknown.
On Tuesday, the appellate court of Pennsylvania (northeast) ruled that Mumia Abu-Jamal, on death row for 30 years, must have a new hearing in the next six months.
The African-American leader of the Black Panther Abu - Jamal, 57, in 1981 was sentenced to death for killing a white policeman.
Among the detractors to the death penalty case has been emblematic.
the same court issued its decision on Tuesday had suspended the death sentence of Abu-Jamal in 2008, resulting in three-year legal battle that included the intervention of the United States Supreme Court.
In its ruling the court wrote that "Abu-Jamal's conviction for first degree murder is maintained."
But the court agreed with supporters of Abu-Jamal that there were problems with the instructions given to jurors during the trial decision.
The jury said the court, seems to have been instructed that unanimity was required to consider mitigating circumstances during the trial.
prosecutors in Philadelphia have expressed their disappointment over the decision, saying in a statement Tuesday that he could file an appeal with the Supreme Court.
But John Payton, director-counsel of the Education Fund and the NAACP legal defense, organization of civil rights involved in the defense of Abu-Jamal, said the decision is a first step towards the correction of an error of long standing.
The jury said the court, seems to have been instructed that required unanimously to consider mitigating circumstances during the trial.
prosecutors in Philadelphia have expressed their disappointment over the decision, saying in a statement Tuesday that he could file an appeal with the Supreme Court.
But John Payton, director-counsel of the Education Fund and the NAACP legal defense, organization of civil rights involved in the defense of Abu-Jamal, said the decision is a first step towards the correction of an error of long standing.
"This decision is an important step forward in the fight to correct errors of an unfortunate chapter in the history of Pennsylvania, "he said.
Abu-Jamal and his supporters claim that the guilty verdict against him was predetermined, being African-American and member of the radical party left "Black Panthers" (Black Panther), which protected the rights of blacks in the 60 and 70.
Abu-Jamal is probably best known sentenced to death and a symbol of efforts international abolition of the death penalty in America.
Photogenic, articulate, during his long years of prison continued to perform his radio show "Live from Death Row" (Live from Death Row)-which was also the title of his book published in 1995 - and continues riding the waves in the U.S..
Among its supporters through the years include some of the most notorious names in the American intelligentsia, while a petition for freedom launched in January 2010 more than 33,000 signatures, including those of American linguist Noam Chomsky, former French first lady Danielle Mitterand and German literary giant Günter Grass.
In short lines I describe the case of Mumia Abu - Jamal
Before his conviction, Abu-Jamal was a journalist in Philadelphia. He began his career at the age of 14 years as chief information officer of the Philadelphia Black Panther Party. When starting the internal struggles within the movement, Mumia decided to leave. Time later became a prominent supporter of the naturist group Move and president of the Association of Black Journalists in Philadelphia. Some say that these successes reports have been exaggerated - although it has been described as a "decorated Pennsylvania journalist who has unearthed police violence and racism against minority communities," there is little evidence of this, and when the crime happened combined his freelance work with the taxi driver.
The December 9, 1981, the police officer Daniel Faulkner stopped Abu-Jamal's brother, William (Wesley) Cook near 13th and Locust streets, an area frequented by prostitutes, driving the wrong way and the lights off. Abu-Jamal stated that at that time led to his taxi near the scene, and that Faulkner was beating his brother with a flashlight (William would plead guilty to attack Faulkner.) In the fight that followed, both Mumia and Faulkner were shot. Faulkner was shot in the back and face and died instantly. Abu-Jamal in the chest. The police claim that Abu-Jamal shot Faulkner, while the defense argues that Faulkner was shot from behind by a third man who fled the scene. Abu-Jamal was arrested at 4 am with a gun registered in his name on the side.
On July 3, 1982, Abu-Jamal was convicted of Faulkner's murder and sentenced to death. In addition to traditional legal defense, Abu-Jamal played many political issues during the trial, and repeatedly asked the court to allow the leader of Move, John Africa, to represent him.
Mumia has 30 years on Death Row, and personalities such as Noam Chomsky, Danielle Gunter Grass Mitterand and call for their freedom.
Source: AFP, The Guardian, Nigeria, Montevideocomm, ACSUN, Mr. Javier Diaz.
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