Mumia Abu-Jamal's lead attorney Robert R. Bryan responds to court ruling

ROBERT R. BRYAN said:

Today's decision is a mixed bag. That the denial of relief on the racism-in-jury-selection issue was 2-1 is quite good. Further, the 41-page dissent of Judge Ambro is the strongest I have read. The paragraph refers to the U.S. Supreme Court case I filed with the court on Monday in my latest brief: Snyder v. Louisiana, 2008 WL 723750 (Mar. 19, 200*), an enormously important decision. Judge Ambro's dissent is a guiding light to where to go from here. We will certainly seek a rehearing en banc, which would be addressed to all the justices of the Third Circuit. The dissent of Judge Ambro is a powerful weapon in that regard. If all were unsuccessful, we will go to the U.S. Supreme Court.


The reversal of the penalty-phase and the ordering of a new jury trial is a clear victory, even though far from my goal. I will not rest until an entirely new trial is granted, and Mumia is acquitted by a jury. I intend to see him go home to his family.

--March 27, 2008, San Francisco