Category: Prisons

Death Row inmate Kevin Cooper fights for his innocence

By DON HARMON Since 1983, African American Kevin Cooper has been incarcerated on Death Row at California’s San Quentin State Prison. Wrongfully convicted during a nationally-covered racist frame-up trial in San Bernardino County, Cooper came within hours of being executed in 2004. But thanks to a broad movement demanding justice and freedom and ever-mounting evidence … Continue reading Death Row inmate Kevin Cooper fights for his innocence →

Free at last! Three members of the MOVE 9 released from prison

By STEVE XAVIER Political prisoner Eddie Goodman Africa, a member of the MOVE 9, was released from prison on the morning of June 2, after 40 years of unjust incarceration. Janet Holloway Africa and Janine Phillips Africa were also released recently (on May 25), becoming the third and fourth MOVE members to be set free … Continue reading Free at last! Three members of the MOVE 9 released from prison →

Mumia Abu-Jamal: An Evening for Justice and Freedom

By JEFF MACKLER Two months in the planning, the April 6 public forum at St. John’s Presbyterian Church in Berkeley represented a profound contribution to renewing the justice and freedom struggle of the innocent and framed for murder political prisoner, Mumia Abu-Jamal. A capacity-filling multi-racial and multi-generational crowd of 400 people, including a broad range … Continue reading Mumia Abu-Jamal: An Evening for Justice and Freedom →

Mumia Abu-Jamal victory: Philadelphia DA withdraws his appeal

By JEFF MACKLER The sensational news on April 17 that Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner withdrew his appeal of Superior Court Judge Leon Tucker’s granting of new appeal rights to Mumia Abu-Jamal represents a major breakthrough in Mumia’s 37-year freedom struggle. Krasner’s decision opens the door wide to re-building a broad and decisive movement in … Continue reading Mumia Abu-Jamal victory: Philadelphia DA withdraws his appeal →

Keep the pressure on DA Krasner to free Mumia!

By JOHN LESLIE  On Dec. 28, one day after the decision by Judge Leon Tucker opening the door to further appeals by Mumia Abu-Jamal, employees of the Philadelphia District Attorney’s office “found” six boxes in a storage space, while allegedly looking for office furniture. Five of the six boxes are marked with the name McCann, … Continue reading Keep the pressure on DA Krasner to free Mumia! →

Mumia Abu-Jamal wins major court victory

BY JEFF MACKLER On Dec. 27, Philadelphia Superior Court Judge Leon Tucker ruled in favor of Mumia Abu-Jamal, holding that the actions of former Pennsylvania Supreme Court Judge Ronald Castille had demonstrated a “lack of impartiality” and “the appearance of bias.” Tucker’s decision represents a major victory for Abu-Jamal, which opens the door to a … Continue reading Mumia Abu-Jamal wins major court victory →

Socialist Action candidate calls for solidarity with U.S. prison strike

By FRED LINCK Below are remarks by Socialist Action Senatorial candidate Fred Linck to an Aug. 25 Connecticut rally in solidarity with the national prison strike. Organizers reported in the first days that incarcerated people in 17 states had joined the strike—risking severe punishment for their effort. Some were engaged in refusals to work, in … Continue reading Socialist Action candidate calls for solidarity with U.S. prison strike →

Pack the courtroom for Mumia on Aug. 30!

By MICHAEL SCHREIBER — PHILADELPHIA — Oral arguments on behalf of political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal will take place here on Aug. 30 before Judge Leon Tucker of the city and county Court of Common Pleas. Defense activists plan to fill the courtroom and to demonstrate outside to demand a new trial for Mumia and his … Continue reading Pack the courtroom for Mumia on Aug. 30! →

A reprieve for death-row prisoner Kevin Cooper?

By JEFF MACKLER Executions are scheduled at one minute after midnight at San Quentin Prison, just over the San Rafael Bridge in Marin County and overlooking the San Francisco skyline. On the cold winter night of Feb. 10, 2004, death-row inmate Kevin Cooper was being fully prepped for the hereafter, dressed in a new set … Continue reading A reprieve for death-row prisoner Kevin Cooper? →

Connecticut rally in solidarity with incarcerated women

By ERWIN FREED  On May 8, CT Bail Fund called a rally outside of York Correctional Institute, a women’s prison in Niantic, Conn. Eleven other groups were listed as co-sponsors on the events facebook page and around 40 people showed up in solidarity. The rally was called in conjunction with the Bail Fund’s successful effort … Continue reading Connecticut rally in solidarity with incarcerated women →

Philadelphia DA’s office stonewalls at hearing for Mumia Abu-Jamal

By JOHN LESLIE The Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office continues to stonewall in the case of Mumia Abu-Jamal. At a court hearing on April 30, prosecutors failed, once again, to produce a memorandum allegedly signed by former Philadelphia District Attorney and retired Pennsylvania Supreme Court Chief Justice Ronald D. Castille. Under the 2016 Williams v. Pennsylvania … Continue reading Philadelphia DA’s office stonewalls at hearing for Mumia Abu-Jamal →

Why my brother, Mumia, should be set free

By KEITH COOK Reprinted from the Philadelphia Inquirer (May 1, 2018). I was stationed in Europe 37 years ago when I received the call that all black families dread. My little brother, Mumia Abu-Jamal, had been shot by the police and was fighting for his life. Mumia was the kindest and gentlest of my five … Continue reading Why my brother, Mumia, should be set free →

Free Mumia Abu-Jamal! All out Feb. 26 and March 27!

By JOHN LESLIE New mobilizations are planned in the case of political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal. The events will take place at a critical juncture in Mumia’s case, which opened up with the Williams v. Pennsylvania decision, presenting an opportunity, after so much struggle, to finally win Mumia’s freedom. This is particularly urgent because Mumia’s health … Continue reading Free Mumia Abu-Jamal! All out Feb. 26 and March 27! →

Bail reform resolution passed in Philadelphia

By JOHN LESLIE At the beginning of February, the Philadelphia city council passed a resolution appealing to the Pennsylvania legislature to reform the bail system in the commonwealth. In the current set-up, nonviolent and low-risk offenders are often jailed while awaiting trial because they lack the resources to make even the most modest bail. Larry … Continue reading Bail reform resolution passed in Philadelphia →

Defend the First Amendment and prisoners’ rights to read critical ideas

By STEVE XAVIER The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections is attempting to ban the Workers World (WW) newspaper for its coverage of the Florida prison strike. According to WW, “The immediate reason given in the DOC’s Jan. 29 letter is that ‘information contained on pages 1 and 6 calls for action that may advocate criminal activity … Continue reading Defend the First Amendment and prisoners’ rights to read critical ideas →

All Out for Mumia on Jan. 17! Fill the courtroom & rally in the streets of Philadelphia

By MOBILIZATION FOR MUMIA Mumia Abu-Jamal will have another hearing in open court on Wed, Jan. 17 at 9 a.m. at the Criminal (in)Justice Center, 1301 Filbert Street, Philadelphia before Common Pleas Court Judge Leon Tucker, courtroom 1108. In a court case that could eventually lead to Mumia’s freedom, Judge Leon Tucker has ordered the District Attorney’s … Continue reading All Out for Mumia on Jan. 17! Fill the courtroom & rally in the streets of Philadelphia →

Police corruption is rife from Baltimore to Philadelphia

By JOHN LESLIE In mid-November, federal agents arrested a Philadelphia police officer, Eric Snell, for allegedly acting as a middleman for a drug ring run by a Baltimore police firearms task force. In addition to the drug charges, Snell is accused of possession of illegal firearms and threatening the children of one of the accused … Continue reading Police corruption is rife from Baltimore to Philadelphia →

Philadelphia DA’s office refuses to release Mumia files

By the MOBILIZATION FOR MUMIA COALITION In the latest attempt to further deny freedom to Mumia Abu-Jamal, the Philadelphia District Attorney’s office has contemptuously refused to release the files they were ordered to make public by Common Pleas Court Judge Leon Tucker. On April 24, Abu-Jamal’s 63rd birthday, his attorneys presented an appeal before Judge Tucker … Continue reading Philadelphia DA’s office refuses to release Mumia files →

A DAY OF ACTION FOR MUMIA ABU-JAMAL!

Pressure DA’s office to release documents pertaining to former DA Ron Castille’s handling of Mumia Abu-Jamal’s appeals! PHILADELPHIA—On Tuesday, May 30, The Mobilization For Mumia, a coalition of human rights groups in support of political prisoner Mumia Abu Jamal, will host a 2 p.m. press conference and rally at the Philadelphia DA’s office to demand that the … Continue reading A DAY OF ACTION FOR MUMIA ABU-JAMAL! →

Release Baba Jan! An international appeal to the Pakistani and Gilgit-Baltistan governments

By FAROOQ TARIK This is a very urgent call for solidarity signatures. Baba Jan, a dedicated activist from Gilgit-Balistan, north of Pakistan, is appealing against a life sentence. His final review petition will be heard by the Supreme Court May 25, 2017. To have an effect, this international call has to be sent Monday 22, … Continue reading Release Baba Jan! An international appeal to the Pakistani and Gilgit-Baltistan governments →