I know I say this a lot, but truly this is worth reading and passing on.
It is about Mumia Abu-Jamal, who is serving a life sentence for the 1981 killing of a policeman in Philadelphia. He has maintained his innocence throughout.
He was invited to give a commencement speech at his alma mater that is embedded in the article and I've included it at the end of this post.
There were some folks not happy with this invitation and his being allowed to speak (albeit through via audio recording).
A quote from the article:
Another quote from the article:
The Free Mumia Abu-Jamal Coalition, a New York–based organization advocating for his release, counts the NAACP, human-rights organizations, members of Congress, and the governments of Detroit, San Francisco, and Paris (where a street bears Abu-Jamal's name) among the supporters of its goals. Amnesty International has found that his trial failed to meet international standards.
Is there any question at all that his case should get another look in light of the revelations of the gross injustices done at the hand of many in law enforcement and the judicial system?
Also, was there any surprise at the response from the government in Pennsylvania?
Within weeks of the commencement address, the Pennsylvania legislature passed, and then–Gov. Tom Corbett signed, the Revictimization Relief Act, which lets crime victims seek injunctions against speeches and any other "conduct which perpetuates the continuing effect of the crime on the victim."
http://www.vox.com/2015/4/6/8335287/mumia-abu-jamal-speech
It is about Mumia Abu-Jamal, who is serving a life sentence for the 1981 killing of a policeman in Philadelphia. He has maintained his innocence throughout.
He was invited to give a commencement speech at his alma mater that is embedded in the article and I've included it at the end of this post.
There were some folks not happy with this invitation and his being allowed to speak (albeit through via audio recording).
A quote from the article:
The fact that he was given this platform — and that the speech went viral — outraged the slain officer's family, members of the Philadelphia Police Union, and some politicians.
Another quote from the article:
The Free Mumia Abu-Jamal Coalition, a New York–based organization advocating for his release, counts the NAACP, human-rights organizations, members of Congress, and the governments of Detroit, San Francisco, and Paris (where a street bears Abu-Jamal's name) among the supporters of its goals. Amnesty International has found that his trial failed to meet international standards.
Is there any question at all that his case should get another look in light of the revelations of the gross injustices done at the hand of many in law enforcement and the judicial system?
Also, was there any surprise at the response from the government in Pennsylvania?
Within weeks of the commencement address, the Pennsylvania legislature passed, and then–Gov. Tom Corbett signed, the Revictimization Relief Act, which lets crime victims seek injunctions against speeches and any other "conduct which perpetuates the continuing effect of the crime on the victim."
http://www.vox.com/2015/4/6/8335287/mumia-abu-jamal-speech