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Mumia Abu-Jamal

Activist Abu-Jamal Is Spared
Death

      (Taylor Media Services) Mumia Abu-Jamal—the former Black Panther considered by many to be a political prisoner—was in effect spared a death sentence by a federal appeals court last week. The appeals court told the lower court that he must either give Abu-Jamal a new sentencing trial or sentence him to life in prison.     
      Supporters welcomed the removal of the possible death penalty but they still were not satisfied maintaining that Abu-Jamal had been a victim of a racist and unfair trial in 1981 when he was convicted of killing Philadelphia police officer Daniel Faulkner. Pam Africa of Mobilization to Free Mumia Abu-Jamal was quoted as calling the appeals court decision “a travesty of justice.” Africa felt Abu-Jamal should have been given a new trial.
      In justifying the court’s ruling, Chief Judge Anthony Scirica wrote, “The jury instructions and the verdict form created a reasonable likelihood that the jury believed it was precluded from finding mitigating circumstance that had not been unanimously agreed upon.”

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Posted April 2, 2008