Mumia Abu-Jamals Death Sentence is Ruled Unconstitutional
(New York, NY) Today the United States Supreme Court rejected a request from the Philadelphia District Attorneys Office to overturn the most recent federal appeals court decision declaring Mumia Abu-Jamals death sentence unconstitutional. The Courts decision brings to an end nearly 30 years of litigation over the fairness of the sentencing hearing that resulted in Abu-Jamals being condemned to death. Abu-Jamal will be automatically sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole unless the District Attorney elects to seek another death sentence from a new jury.
The NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF) and Professor Judith Ritter, of Widener Law School, represent Abu-Jamal in the appeal of his conviction and death sentence for the 1981 murder of a police officer in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Supreme Courts decision marks the fourth time that the federal courts have found that Abu-Jamals sentencing jury was misled about the constitutionally mandated process for considering evidence supporting a life sentence.
At long last, the profoundly troubling prospect of Mr. Abu-Jamal facing an execution that was produced by an unfair and unreliable penalty phase has been eliminated, said John Payton, President and Director-Counsel of LDF. Like all Americans, Mr. Abu-Jamal was entitled to a proper proceeding that takes into account the many substantial reasons why death was an inappropriate sentence. Professor Ritter stated. Our system should never condone an execution that stems from a trial in which the jury was improperly instructed on the law.
Abu-Jamals case will now return to the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas for final sentencing.
Mumia Abu-Jamal, Special to the NNPA from thedefendersonline.com
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