Long-Time Activists Pack Porter Square Books: Plea For Mumia

Porter Sq. Books in Cambridge was wall-to-wall with long-time activist Friday. Not where I would expect to see most of these people on a Thursday night, but Laura Whitehorn* was speaking about her book—the edited manuscript of Safiya Bukhari—“The War Before: The true Life Story of Becoming a Black Panther, Keeping the Faith in Prison and Fighting for Those Left Behind” (Forward by Angela Davis; Afterward by Mumia Abu-Jamal).

A lawyer for Mumia Abu-Jamal was there also present—Sophia Elijah-and both she and Laura strongly encouraged the audience to go to “freemumia.com” and sign the petition to save him from execution and insist that the Justice Department immediately commence a civil rights investigation to examine the many examples of egregious and racist prosecutorial and judicial misconduct dating back to his original trial in 1982 and continuing through to the current inaction of the U.S. Supreme Court. As those who have followed his radio commentaries from death row know, Mumia continues to be a powerful voice for all of us. Please sign the petition. A letter which can be edited is available at the site, and set out below:

"To: U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, U.S. Department of Justice

cc: President Obama, Vice President Biden, Homeland Security Secretary Napolitano, Secretary of State Clinton, the Senate and House Judiciary Committees, Congressional Leaders, the Congressional Black Caucus, U.N. Secy Gen Ban, and members of the media

I write to you with a sense of grave concern and outrage about the U.S. Supreme Court's denial of a hearing to Mumia Abu-Jamal on the issue of racial bias in jury selection, that is, the "Batson issue". Inasmuch as there is no other court to which Abu-Jamal can appeal for justice, I turn to you for remedy of a 27-year history of gross violations of U.S. constitutional law and international standards of justice as documented by Amnesty International and many other legal groups around the world.

I call on you and the Justice Department to immediately commence a civil rights investigation to examine the many examples of egregious and racist prosecutorial and judicial misconduct dating back to the original trial in 1982 and continuing through to the current inaction of the U.S. Supreme Court. The statute of limitations should not be a factor in this case as there is very strong evidence of an ongoing conspiracy to deny Abu-Jamal his constitutional rights.

I am aware of the many differences that exist between the case of former Senator Ted Stevens and Mumia Abu-Jamal. Still, I note with great interest the actions you have taken with regard to Senator Stevens' conviction to assure that he not be denied his constitutional rights. You were specifically outraged by the fact that the prosecution withheld information critical to the defense's argument for acquittal, a violation clearly committed by the prosecution in Abu-Jamal's case. Mumia Abu-Jamal, though not a U.S. senator of great wealth and power, is a Black man revered around the world for his courage, clarity, and commitment and deserves no less than Senator Stevens.

Cordially,"
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*Laura Whitehorn is a former political prisonerwww.prisonactivist.org/archive/pps+pows/laurawhitehorn.html