Tag: death penalty

Does Tsarnev deserve the death penalty?

By JOE AUCIELLO  — BOSTON — “I don’t favor the death penalty, but this case makes me question my beliefs.” “Give ‘im what he deserves—the electric chair!” “There is no way this guy ought to live.” “Let him get the most gruesome death possible.” These are a sample of the comments readily heard in Boston … Continue reading Does Tsarnev deserve the death penalty? →

Prison sanctions Lynne Stewart for 45 days

By JEFF MACKLEROn Aug. 1, imprisoned radical attorney Lynne Stewart, who is serving a 10-year sentence at a federal medical prison in Carswell, Texas, on frame-up charges of conspiracy to aid and abet terrorism, was sanctioned by prison authorities for 45 days.Stewart’s offense? On behalf of a fellow inmate, Stewart mailed a copy of letter … Continue reading Prison sanctions Lynne Stewart for 45 days →

Court Confirms Ten-Year Sentence for Lynne Stewart

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit today confirmed the 2010 decision of Federal District Court Judge John Koeltl to change his 28-month jail sentence for radical attorney and human rights activist, Lynne Stewart, to ten years. The court’s June 28, 2012 decision was not unexpected. Following federal prosecutors’ appeal of what was … Continue reading Court Confirms Ten-Year Sentence for Lynne Stewart →

Justice for Trayvon Martin!

<!--[if !mso]> <![endif]--> Fight back against racist lynchings! Outrage at the murder of Trayvon Martin has sparked a wave of protests in recent days. Demonstrations numbering in the tens of thousands have been held in New York; 8000 marched in Philadelphia, 3000 in Seattle—and more in Chicago, Washington, DC,  and Los Angeles. Demonstrations as large as 25,000 have … Continue reading Justice for Trayvon Martin! →

A Visit with Mumia Abu-Jamal

Comrades, Brothers and Sisters: Heidi Boghosian [executive director, National Lawyers Guild] and I [Johanna Fernandez, Educators for Mumia] just returned from a very moving visit with Mumia. We visited yesterday, Thursday, Feb. 2. This was Mumia’s second contact visit in over 30 years, since his transfer to General Population last Friday, Jan. 27. His first contact visit was … Continue reading A Visit with Mumia Abu-Jamal →

Bay Area forums to hear author of book on Kevin Cooper

A coalition of social justice activists in the San Francisco Bay Area has organized a Feb. 5-12 book tour for J. Patrick O’Connor, the author of “Scapegoat: The Chino Hills Murders and the framing of Kevin Cooper.” O’Connor’s new book provides a detailed analysis of Cooper’s case and exposes the broken criminal “justice” system in … Continue reading Bay Area forums to hear author of book on Kevin Cooper →

Act Now to Get Mumia Out of Solitary Confinement!

Mumia Abu-Jamal is being held in Administrative Custody (“The Hole” or Solitary Confinement) at SCI Mahanoy, Frackville, PA.  Mumia’s death sentence has been dropped, and though he is supposed to be in General Population, he has been held in Solitary Confinement – shackled whenever he’s out side his cell (even to the shower), glaring lights … Continue reading Act Now to Get Mumia Out of Solitary Confinement! →

Mumia’s Message to Occupy Wall Street

Mumia’s Message to Occupy Wall Street, as dictated while in Administrative Custody at SCI Mahanoy in Frackville, PA Thursday, Dec. 15, 2011My Friends of OWS,My message will have to be brief. But let not this brevity take from it, its strength.You are the central movement of the hour. You’re raising questions that are in the … Continue reading Mumia’s Message to Occupy Wall Street →

No Death Sentence for Mumia Abu-Jamal

Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams announced on Wednesday, Dec. 7, that he would NOT seek a new sentencing hearing to execute innocent death row inmate Mumia Abu-Jamal. On October 11, 2011 the U.S. Supreme Court, affirming two federal court decisions in the same case, effectively ruled that the sentencing portion of Mumia's 1982 trial was … Continue reading No Death Sentence for Mumia Abu-Jamal →

Supreme Court rejects Mumia death penalty

The U.S. Supreme Court on Oct. 11 rejected the fourth effort in 30 years by Philadelphia prosecutors to execute innocent death-row political prisoner, award-winning journalist, and murder frame-up victim Mumia Abu-Jamal.In refusing to hear an appeal by the Philadelphia District Attorney’s office, the High Court essentially affirmed that the sentencing instructions given to the jury … Continue reading Supreme Court rejects Mumia death penalty →

Mumia on Occupy Wall Street

In Lower Manhattan’s Zuccotti Park (renamed “Liberty Square” by the demonstrators), the cast of thousands swell in rebellion against the betrayals by the banks, Wall Street’s relentless greed, the plague of joblessness and the craven servility of the political class—both Republicans and Democrats—to their moneyed masters.  In short, the central focus of their protest is … Continue reading Mumia on Occupy Wall Street →

For Troy Davis and Mumia Abu-Jamal

Friday, Dec. 9, marks the 30th anniversary of Mumia Abu-Jamal’s incarceration on frame-up murder charges. Amnesty International, the NAACP, city and national governments, national labor unions, and prominent human rights groups and individuals around the world have backed Mumia’s demand for justice and his insistence on his innocence—as they did for Troy Davis.Mumia is still on … Continue reading For Troy Davis and Mumia Abu-Jamal →

Interview with political prisoner Lynne Stewart

Attorney and political prisoner Lynne Stewart was interviewed by mail by Patricia Vickers, a founding member of the Human Rights Coalition (HRC) of Pennsylvania. Ms. Vickers is the co-founder/editor of The Movement magazine of the HRC. A former 1960s student activist, Ms. Vickers is an eco-feminist whose youngest son, Kerry “Shakaboona” Marshall, was a wrongly … Continue reading Interview with political prisoner Lynne Stewart →

Harassment of WikiLeaks reflects mounting assault on civil liberties

by Jeff Mackler The WikiLeaks release of a quarter-million secret U.S. diplomatic cables in early December, as well as the earlier WikiLeaks revelations on U.S. mass murder of civilians and other heinous policies in Afghanistan and Iraq, confirm the fact that technological progress in the field of communications dramatically reduces the gap between the commission … Continue reading Harassment of WikiLeaks reflects mounting assault on civil liberties →

Latest Development in Mumia Case

by Michael Schreiber [The following article appears in the December 2010 edition of Socialist Action newspaper.] PHILADELPHIA—On Nov. 9, several hundred people rallied outside the federal courthouse here to “Free Mumia!” Inside the building, meanwhile, a three-judge panel deliberated over the fate of Mumia Abu-Jamal, the political prisoner and noted Black journalist who has been … Continue reading Latest Development in Mumia Case →

Two new films fuel debate on Mumia Abu-Jamal

by Michael SchreiberPHILADELPHIA--Two films with radically opposed viewpoints about the case of death-row political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal had their premiers here on Sept 21.Tigre Hill’s “The Barrel of a Gun” created a huge splash in the media, warranting the front page of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Celebrities, city and state officials, and off-duty cops joined the … Continue reading Two new films fuel debate on Mumia Abu-Jamal →

Lynne Stewart sentenced to ten years in prison

by Jeff Mackler(Jeff Mackler is the West Coast Director of the Lynne Stewart Defense Committee.)The full force of the U.S. criminal “justice” system came down on innocent political prisoner, 30-year veteran human rights attorney and radical political activist Lynne Stewart today, July 15, 2010. In an obviously pre-prepared one hour and twenty minute technical tour … Continue reading Lynne Stewart sentenced to ten years in prison →

Innocent Lynne Stewart Faces 30-year Jail Sentence

by Jeff Mackler The full force of the U.S. criminal “justice” system is today aimed at innocent political prisoner, 30-year human rights attorney and radical political activist Lynne Stewart. On July 15 Federal District Court John Koeltl, who in 2005 sentenced Stewart to 28 months in prison following her frame-up trial and jury conviction on … Continue reading Innocent Lynne Stewart Faces 30-year Jail Sentence →

Supreme Court Opens Door to Mumia’s Execution

by Jeff MacklerIn a dangerous decision and a break with its own precedent, the U.S. Supreme Court, on Jan. 15 opened the door wide to Pennsylvania prosecutors’ efforts to execute innocent political prisoner, murder frame-up victim, award-winning journalist and world renowned “Voice of the Voiceless,” Mumia Abu-Jamal. Six months earlier, on April 6, the Supreme … Continue reading Supreme Court Opens Door to Mumia’s Execution →