The Center for Constitutional Rights was pleased to learn of the Philadelphia District Attorney’s decision to no longer pursue the death penalty against internationally renowned journalist and former Black Panther Mumia Abu-Jamal. Abu-Jamal will now be sentenced to life without possibility of parole.
We do not believe Abu-Jamal, who has been incarcerated for over 30 years, should ever have been imprisoned on death row in the first place. In fact, the procedural and constitutional violations that have filled his case since its beginning, in addition to evidence that has never been reviewed by any court or jury, call not just for a new trial, but his freedom from prison as well.
Today’s decision is a testament to the committed organizing and dedication of his supporters throughout the world. But for true justice to be served, Abu-Jamal’s case must be re-examined, and he must be granted his long-deserved freedom.
The Center for Constitutional Rights works with communities under threat to fight for justice and liberation through litigation, advocacy, and strategic communications. Since 1966, the Center for Constitutional Rights has taken on oppressive systems of power, including structural racism, gender oppression, economic inequity, and governmental overreach. Learn more at ccrjustice.org.
Last modified
December 12, 2011