BY HENRY HILLENBRAND AND HATTIE McCUTCHEON
PHILADELPHIA - Standing outside the courtroom where the
trial of political activist Mumia Abu-Jamal has unfolded,
defense attorney Leonard Weinglass stated August 15, "The
judge quashed more than two-thirds of our witnesses. But we
showed that the first trial was ineffective. We've met all
the requirements for a new trial."
That day, after three weeks of testimony, a hearing on Abu-Jamal's request for a new trial was recessed. Judge Albert Sabo set September 11 for attorneys to present closing arguments.
Abu-Jamal was framed up and placed on death row for the 1981 murder of a Philadelphia cop. Under pressure from an expanding international defense campaign, Sabo issued a stay of execution just days before Abu-Jamal was scheduled to be killed.
Weinglass stated in a phone interview, "If a new trial is not granted Mr. Jamal, we will immediately file appeals to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court and federal courts if necessary."
In an August 18 interview on New York radio station WBAI, the defense attorney stated, "The case for Mumia Abu- Jamal was strong on law, strong on facts, and if given a level playing field in a new trial, Mumia would prevail."
Judge continues belligernce
On the last day of testimony, Sabo threatened Abu-
Jamal's co-counsel, Rachel Wolkenstein, with a $1,000 fine
and jail when she argued to have admitted as evidence a
sworn statement by a corrections department official that
privileged correspondence between Abu-Jamal and his
attorneys had been confiscated, copied, and turned over to
the governor of Pennsylvania's general counsel.
Sabo replied, "It has nothing to do with this. Take it up with the federal court." He then walked out of the courtroom.
Court criers began yelling at supporters of Abu-Jamal to leave the courtroom immediately as he was shackled and led away.
Meanwhile the cops seated on the other side of the room - many wearing T-shirts calling for Abu-Jamal's execution, others wearing guns - were not being told to leave. Supporters of the activist left the courtroom angrily chanting, "No justice, no peace."
At a celebration here August 17, the original date set for his execution, defenders of Abu-Jamal vowed to continue the fight. Organizers explained the need to keep the pressure on. Public actions on his behalf are being discussed for the week leading up to the September 11 resumption of the trial.