7/8 SF Meeting; 6/9 report; Respond to attacks in Philadelphia media

To All Supporters of Mumia Abu-Jamal,

The Mobilization to Free Mumia Abu-Jamal urges you to participate in the
fight to save Mumia's life! Please come to the next meeting of the
Mobilization, Saturday, July 8th at 10:30 am at the Mobilization office
located at 298 Valencia St., at 14th St. in San Francisco (near16th St.
Bart).

We will begin organizing for major fall activities, including:

1. College and High School Campus Speaking Tour

2. Major fundraising concert

3. An Action on December 9th, 2006 - the 25th Anniversary of the attempted
murder of Mumia by Philadelphia police and his frame-up for the murder of
Police Officer Faulkner

4. Plans for emergency demonstrations should the court grant the motions by
the prosecution to re-instate the death penalty sentencing and Penn Gov. Ed
Rendell signs the warrant for Mumia's state-sanctioned murder.

5. Support for the people of Saint Denis and Paris, France who responded to
vicious attacks on Mumia by the Fraternal Order of Police and politicians
by officially naming a major street leading to Nelson Mandela Sports
Stadium, Rue Mumia Abu-Jamal (PA Congress members subsequently introduced
federal legislation demanding reversal of the street naming -- and
Philadephia city council and media have begun to fan the flames -- see
ICFFMAJ message below for info on responding to the reactionary press).

See you at the organizing meeting on 7/8!

Please read the report below about the 6/9 protest/legal update in SF with
Mumia's lead attorney; and Philadephia media info.


STOP THE EXECUTION - MUMIA IS INNOCENT - FREE MUMIA ABU-JAMAL!

In solidarity,

Laura Herrera and Jeff Mackler, Co-coordinators
The Mobilization to Free Mumia Abu-Jamal
298 Valencia St., San Francisco, CA 94103, 415-255-1085
alerts [at] freemumia.org http://freemumia.org


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Report on 6/9 SF protest/legal update:
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Mumia activists mobilize at San Francisco Federal Building

By Laura Herrera and Jeff Mackler

More than 80 supporters of innocent death row inmate, political prisoner
and award-winning journalist, Mumia Abu-Jamal, rallied on Friday, June 9 at
the San Francisco Federal Building. Carrying a 30-foot banner that read,
"Stop the Execution" Overturn the Conviction! and Free Mumia Abu-Jamal!,"
the protesters mobilized to counter the renewed effort of the State of
Pennsylvania to once again seek Mumia's execution. Organized by the
Northern California-based Mobilization to Free Mumia Abu-Jamal, the protest
opened with a legal update on Mumia's case by his lead attorney, Robert R.
Bryan.

Bryan explained that Mumia's case was now on the "fast track," with a final
decision expected within the next twelve months. He is on a July 13
deadline to submit a major brief for presentation to the U.S. Court of
Appeals, Third Circuit. This will counter the position of Pennsylvania
prosecutors that Mumia should be executed.

Bryan will also present the three central arguments for a new trial,
asserting that Mumia's 1982 racist frame-up trial and subsequent bigoted
acts of the prosecution constituted fundamental violations of Mumia's
democratic and constitutional rights.

A new trial for Mumia, where all the suppressed evidence of his innocence
can be presented, Bryan stated, should virtually assure his freedom. But a
court victory for Mumia in the present political climate, Bryan warned,
cannot be guaranteed, regardless of the fact that his client is an innocent
man. Bryan urged Mumia supporters to re-dedicate themselves to engaging
ever broader forces in Mumia's fight for freedom.

Bryan was joined at the Federal Building protest by speakers representing
more than a dozen organizations. These included the Mobilization to Free
Mumia Abu-Jamal, the Peace and Freedom Party, the Dominican Sisters of San
Jose, Iranians Against the War, Youth for Socialist Action, a leading
supporter of death row inmate Kevin Cooper's defense, the Labor Action
Committee to Free Mumia, the Freedom Socialist Party, the Campaign to End
the Death Penalty, the ANSWER coalition, the Party for Socialism and
Liberation, the Partisan Defense Committee and Socialist Action.

The rally was co-chaired by Mobilization to Free Mumia leaders, Laura
Herrera and Angela Maizel. Prior to the protest Mobilization to Free Mumia
activists Jeff Mackler and Rebecca Doran appeared on radio stations KPFA
and KPOO to speak on Mumia's behalf, to publicize the demonstration and to
update the case of San Quentin death row inmate Kevin Cooper.

An article on Mumia's case is scheduled for the forthcoming issue of the
San Francisco Bay View newspaper. Thirty-five new Mumia supporters signed
up on the Mobilization's activist list to help with upcoming events.

The next meeting of the Mobilization to Free Mumia is set for Saturday,
July 8 at 10:30 am at 298 Valencia Street at 14th Street in San Francisco.
Call 415-255-1085 for further information.

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From International Concerned Family & Friends of Mumia Abu-Jamal:
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From: icffmaj [at] aol.com
Date: Fri, 9 Jun 2006 18:30:36 EDT
Subject: [icffmaj] Mumia Update

Free Mumia Abu-Jamal! The State of Pennsylvania has recently filed its
appeal seeking to reinstate the order to execute Mumia. If their appeal is
upheld by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, Pennsylvania
Governor Ed Rendell has pledged to sign the third warrant for Mumia's
execution. Barring the unlikely intervention of the U.S. Supreme Court,
Mumia will have 90 days to live!

Pennsylvania authorities are dead set on winning. They, along with the
Fraternal Order of Police, are campaigning to bring the matter to national
attention. The Fraternal Order of Police and their collaborators in the
media and among politicians have been on the rampage since the Third
Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that there were two issues Mumia could
appeal on that might lead to a new trial. These forces insist that Mumia
should have no right to appeal. They attack all those who support Mumia's
innocence or even his right to a new trial. The naming of a street after
Mumia in Saint Denis, France has only fueled their rage. The new street,
leading to the largest sports stadium in Europe, the Nelson Mandela
Stadium, has been formally named Rue Mumia Abu-Jamal.

Two U.S. Congresspeople from Pennsylvania are introducing federal
legislation to demand that the city of St Denis reverse its decision to
name a major street after Mumia. House Resolution 407, which embodies
these demands, was supported unanimously by the City Council of
Philadelphia.

The U.S. legislation, House Resolution 407, proposes to sanction St. Denis
or call for a U.S. boycott of the city, should the St Denis Mayor and City
Council refuse to reverse their vote. Both have refused to do so.

Philadelphia newspapers are joining the reactionary chorus damning the St.
Denis decision. See:

http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/news/columnists/stu_bykofsky/14662075.htm

http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/opinion/local2/region/14614527.htm

Mumia's racist detractors know full well that a final decision is coming,
one that could lead to Mumia's execution or to a new trial and his
freedom. To respond to the vicious attacks on Mumia in the Philly media
(see above, etc.), write to the following:

The Philadelphia Inquirer
P.O. Box 8263
Philadelphia, Pa. 19101 Stu Bykofsky, Columnist
stubyko [at] phillynews.com Readers' Editor Jodie Chester
jchester [at] phillynews.com Editorial Copy Chief Oscar Miller
omiller [at] phillynews.com

Philadelphia Daily News
P.O. Box 7788
Philadelphia, PA 19101 City Editor Gar Joseph
josephg [at] phillynews.com
Assistant City Editor Barbara Laker - lakerb [at] phillynews.com
Frank Burgos - burgosf [at] phillynews.com

For more info, see: http://www.mumia.org/freedom.now
http://www.freemumia.org/ http://www.freemumia.com

p.s. In October 2003, Mumia Abu-Jamal was awarded the status of honorary
citizen of Paris. The mayor of Paris, Bertrand Delanoë, said in a press
release that the award was meant to be a reminder of the continuing fight
against the death penalty, which was abolished in France in 1981.
Additionally, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, the NAACP, the
National Lawyers Guild, the Japanese Diet, the European Parliament, as
well as several national U.S. trade union federations (ILWU, AFSCME, SEIU,
the national postal union), the 1.8 million member California Labor
Federation AFL-CIO, and the Episcopal Church of the United States of
America all maintain that Mumia's original trial was not conducted in a
fair and impartial manner, and demand either a new trial or Mumia's
immediate release. Free Mumia! Free all Political Prisoners! Ona MOVE!