United States Supreme Court Rejects Appeal from Philadelphia DA’s Office

Mumia Abu-Jamal’s Death Sentence is Unconstitutional 


Today the United States Supreme Court rejected a request from the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office to overturn the most recent federal appeals court decision declaring Mumia Abu-Jamal’s death sentence unconstitutional.  The Court’s decision brings to an end nearly thirty years of litigation over the fairness of the sentencing hearing that resulted in Mr. Abu-Jamal’s being condemned to death.  Mr. Abu-Jamal will be automatically sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole unless the District Attorney elects to seek another death sentence from a new jury.

The NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF) and Professor Judith Ritter of Widener Law School represent Mr. Abu-Jamal in the appeal of his conviction and death sentence for the 1981 murder of a police officer in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  The Supreme Court’s decision marks the fourth time that the federal courts have found that Mr. Abu-Jamal’s sentencing jury was misled about the constitutionally mandated process for considering evidence supporting a life sentence. 

“At long last, the profoundly troubling prospect of Mr. Abu-Jamal facing an execution that was produced by an unfair and unreliable penalty phase has been eliminated,” said John Payton, President and Director-Counsel of LDF.  “Like all Americans, Mr. Abu-Jamal was entitled to a proper proceeding that takes into account the many substantial reasons why death was an inappropriate sentence.”  Professor Ritter stated, “Our system should never condone an execution that stems from a trial in which the jury was improperly instructed on the law.”

Mr. Abu-Jamal’s case will now return to the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas for final sentencing.

 

 

 Courtesy of the NAACP-LDF

 

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Comments

  • Europe

    You are right, it is not good. We have to organise mass protests

     people who are against injustice and workers everywhere to free Mumia.

    It was international mass pressure which stayed the executioner's hand

    each time Mumia was under the death warrant. That same pressure from

    below can see Mumia free

  • Chicago-Midwest

    "Still, life w/o parole?" Not good...

  • Europe

    The Supreme Court has at long last made the right decision re Mumia and the racist death

    penalty. However the problem here, is and has been the fact that the jury in his frame up trial

    was not allowed to hear the overwhelming evidence which proves Mumia's innocence.

    Witnesses perjured themselves under pressure from the police etc. There is no justice for Black and poor people in this racist capitalist court system. Mumia was framed up because of his political beliefs/activities. The racist rulers of America want Mumia to spend the rest of

    his life in prison, because they are afraid of the impact he would have on the Black Liberation

    Movement, not just in America but throughout the world. Mumia is innocent and should be released unconditionally.

    Emma Lewis

     

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