WBAI on Mumia Abu-Jamal: featuring Pam Africa, Linn Washington, and Vincent Southerland

The show is hosted by Suzanne Ross, who is Co-Chair of the New York City Coalition to Free Mumia Abu-Jamal, and features as guests:

--Pam Africa, Coordinator of the International Concerned Family and Friends of Mumia Abu-Jamal

--Linn Washington Jr,, Philadelphia Tribune columnist and Temple University professor of journalism

--Vincent Southerland, Assistant counsel at the NAACP Legal Defense Fund

On Monday, April 4, the US Supreme Court Mumia Abu-Jamal's appeal for a new guilt phase trial (in official legal terms, they rejected his petition for a "writ of certiorari"). Abu-Jamal's appeal was based primarily on the US Supreme Court's 1986 "Batson v Kentucky" ruling which stated that a defendant deserves a new trial if it can be shown that the prosecutor used peremptory strikes to remove otherwise qualified jurors simply because of their race. At Abu-Jamal's 1982 trial, prosecutor Joseph McGill used 10 or 11 of his 15 strikes to remove otherwise acceptable black jurors.

The US Supreme Court has not yet decided whether it will further consider the Philadelphia DA's appeal of the 2001/2008 rulings of two lower courts, which ruled that Abu-Jamal deserves a new sentencing hearing if the death penalty is to be re-instated. Therefore, if the US Supreme Court rules in favor of the DA, Abu-Jamal can then be executed WITHOUT a new sentencing hearing!

For more information on the Supreme Court ruling, please link to:

http://www.phillyimc.org/en/us-supreme-court-rejects-mumia-abu-jamals-appeal-new-guilt-phase-trial