https://www.workers.org/2018/09/06/oakland-rally-free-mumia-abu-jamal/
Oakland rally: FREE MUMIA ABU-JAMAL
By Reece Evans posted on September 6, 2018
Former Black Panther Gerald Smith speaks at rally for Mumia, Aug. 28.
Oakland, Calif. — A rally to Free Mumia Abu-Jamal was held Aug. 28 at
Oscar Grant Plaza in downtown Oakland, two days before a major court
hearing considered Mumia’s case in Philadelphia on Aug. 30. Abu-Jamal is
a political activist, journalist and internationally celebrated Black
writer imprisoned in Pennsylvania for over 36 years, first on death row
and now under a life sentence.
The rally brought attention to the fact that evidence shows now, as it
always has, that Mumia Abu-Jamal is innocent. The evidence highlighted
at the Aug. 30 hearing also exposed the true nature of the “injustice
system” as corrupt.
That hearing pivoted on the fact that former Philadelphia District
Attorney Ronald Castille, who was key in prosecuting and condemning
Mumia to death row, went on to sit on the Pennsylvania state Supreme
Court and to rule on Mumia’s later legal appeals, without recusing
himself for conflict of interest.
The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that it is unconstitutional for a judge
to decide an appeal in a case where they had previously been involved at
a hands-on level as a prosecutor.
On Aug. 28, the rally called for the freedom of Mumia Abu-Jamal and all
political prisoners. Speakers demanded the release of other prisoners
falsely accused and targeted by the racist injustice system, including
Leonard Peltier, Mutulu Shakur, Jamil Abdullah Al-Amin (formerly H. Rap
Brown) and Kevin Cooper. The rally also called for solidarity with the
nationwide prison strike that began Aug. 21 and continues to Sept. 9.
In addition to MC Ras Ceylon, speakers at the event included Cat Brooks,
co-founder of the Anti Police-Terror Project and Oakland mayoral
candidate; Gerald Smith, former Black Panther; Cephus X (“Uncle Bobby”)
Johnson, uncle of Oscar Grant; and representatives from various
organizations including the Labor Action Committee to Free Mumia
Abu-Jamal, Oakland Teachers for Mumia and Workers World Party.
Labor unions for Mumia
Labor union resolutions and letters of support to “Free Mumia Abu-Jamal”
were mentioned at the rally. These included an International Longshore
and Warehouse Union resolution representing all 29 West Coast ports, and
a letter from the Swedish Dockworkers Union. The latter called for an
end to Mumia’s unjust imprisonment as well as an end to the racist
oppression within and outside of prison that is carried out by a reign
of police and neofascist terror.
An excerpt from the San Francisco Labor Council resolution sums up the
“legal” crime perpetrated to keep Mumia incarcerated:
“Whereas, the Philadelphia District Attorney’s office has obstructed and
covered up the evidence of Castille’s personal involvement in Mumia’s
case, and stalled and denied the existence of memos and files showing
that involvement. … Therefore Be it Resolved, that the San Francisco
Labor Council demand full disclosure of all police and prosecutorial
files relating to Mumia’s case by the [current] Philadelphia District
Attorney Larry Krasner’s office with all deliberate speed, and moreover
demand the immediate release of Mumia Abu-Jamal, who has been imprisoned
for 36 years for a crime which he did not commit.”
Long-standing and militant union support for Mumia was documented in a
press release from the Free Mumia Coalition: “The Fraternal Order of
Police has unsuccessfully sought Mumia’s execution for decades. In 1999,
longshore workers from the ILWU Local 10 shut down the ports and led a
rally of twenty-five thousand in San Francisco to stop Mumia’s
execution. From prison, Mumia, a former Black Panther, has written nine
books and recorded over 3,000 commentaries on KPFA, Prison Radio and
other outlets, which inspire and educate millions around the globe who
identify with his struggles for justice and equality for all of humanity.”
Sponsors of the Aug. 28 rally included Labor Action Committee To Free
Mumia Abu-Jamal, Workers World Party, Oakland Teachers for Mumia, Peace
and Freedom Party—Alameda County, Socialist Viewpoint, Justice for
Palestinians—San Jose, the Oscar Grant Committee, Love Not Blood
Campaign, Anti Police-Terror Project, Answer Coalition, Prison Radio,
Oakland Teachers for Mumia, Speak Out Now, Freedom Socialist Party,
Socialist Organizer, Socialist Action and the Mobilization to Free Mumia.
Action alert for Mumia!
It is urgent that we act now to bring attention to this injustice and
secure freedom for Mumia. Call Philadelphia District Attorney Larry
Krasner at 215-686-8000 and tell him that former DA Ron Castille
violated Mumia’s constitutional rights and that Krasner must not
obstruct Mumia’s legal petition.
The power of the people was responsible in 2011 for getting Mumia off
death row. By the power of the people we can free Mumia Abu-Jamal and
all political prisoners!
(WW photo: Terri Kay)
(WW photo: Terri Kay)
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By Ted Kelly
Philadelphia
Thousands of prisoners across Pennsylvania have been
confined to their cells since Aug. 29. That’s when the
state’s Department of Corrections Secretary John Wetzel
declared an indefinite lockdown of all facilities under his
jurisdiction.
The lockdown, which began just days into the National
Prison Strike (Aug. 21 to Sept. 9) is the most blatant in a
series of repressive tactics that the state has resorted to in
response to the strike. It was timed to preempt some major
strike actions planned by prisoners.
Attacks on right to legal counsel
One week into the lockdown, Wetzel appeared alongside
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf, who announced a sweeping
series of new policies that constitute an unprecedented
crackdown on the rights of prisoners. Among the many
petty and punitive policies, like banning prisoners from
taking photos with their visitors, there are also new mea
-
sures that will systematically deny prisoners their right to
privacy with legal counsel.
All correspondence sent to prisoners is now to be trans
-
ported to a third-party facility in Florida, where it will be
opened and photocopied before copies are sent to the re
-
spective prisons to be delivered to the intended recipients.
Since prison officials are at least in theory not allowed to
open any mail containing legal correspondence, except
in the presence of its recipient, a farcical new method has
been introduced to get around this protection.
A prisoner in one state facility described how this is
done: The mail is put into a laboratory glovebox meant for
handling hazardous material where it is opened. The enve
-
lope and contents are then passed to another corrections
officer wearing neoprene gloves, who photocopies them.
The copies are then given to the prisoner, while the origi
-
nals are kept in possession of the prison authorities for 15
days. After that, the authorities say they will be destroyed.
In both theory and practice, this arrangeme