Erich Bönisch: AI fordert die Wiederaufnahme des Verfahrens von Mumia

Donnerstag, 17. Februar 2000

Von: Erich.Boenisch@blackbox.net

Hallo Karl!

Hier das neueste von ai über Mumia!!!

lg

Erich

Mumia Abu-Jamal: Amnesty fordert eine Wiederaufnahme des Gerichtsverfahrens

USA

Mumia Abu-Jamal — Amnesty International calls for retrial

A Life in the Balance – The case of Mumia Abu-Jamal ( AI Index: AMR

51/001/2000), a new Amnesty International report, highlights inadequate

legal representation, legal proceedings that fail to reach minimum

international standards for fair trials, and possible bias of the

appeal

courts

 

New York City — Amnesty International today called for a new trial in

the case of Mumia Abu Jamal on the basis that his original trial was

deeply flawed.

 

„This is not about an issue affecting the life of just one man. This is

about justice — which affects us all. And justice, in this case, can

only be served by a new trial,“ Amnesty International said.

After many years of monitoring the case and an exhaustive review of the

original documents, Amnesty International has concluded that the

proceedings under which Mumia Abu-Jamal was tried, convicted and

sentenced to death fail to reach the minimum international standards

for fair trials.

 

„Amnesty International has chosen this moment to publish the results of

their painstaking review of the case because Abu-Jamal’s life and the

fairness of the judicial system are now, more than ever, in the

balance,“ the organization said.

.

Without a new trial, the federal courts are Mumia Abu-Jamal’s final

opportunity to have many of the troubling issues in his case addressed.

However, the 1996 Anti-terrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act

severely limit the federal courts‘ ability to guarantee a defendants‘

rights.

 

Amnesty International fears the act has increased the number of

executions that were in violation of international laws and standards

governing the use of the death penalty.

The organization is also alarmed that the Philadelphia Fraternal Order

of Police Officers is actively campaigning for the execution of Mumia

Abu-Jamal.

 

„Police officers and their representatives should be impartial

enforcers of the law. Amnesty International understands the anguish officers must

feel when a fellow officer dies in the line of duty but their attempt

to pressure the judicial system to execute Mumia Abu-Jamal is

inappropriate,“ the organization stressed.

 

Abu-Jamal’s case illustrates broader problems in the judicial system,

particularly those that involve the administration of the death

penalty.

.

„Given the contradictory and incomplete evidence in the trial

transcript, Amnesty International cannot take a position on Abu-Jamal’s

guilt or innocence,“ Amnesty International said. „In calling for a new

trial we are not ignoring the pain of the relatives and colleagues of

Officer Daniel Faulkner, for whom we have the greatest sympathy.“

„Nevertheless, Mumia Abu-Jamal’s inadequate legal representation at his

1982 trial, the fact that the judge appeared more concerned with

expediting the trial than with ensuring justice, the politisation of

the judicial process, and the possible bias of the appeal courts has lead

Amnesty International to conclude that only a new and fair trial could

prevent the execution of a man who has not been proved guilty in a fair

trial,“ Amnesty International stressed.

 

The prosecution of Mumia Abu-Jamal was built upon three pillars:

the testimony of eyewitnesses;

ballistics evidence;

and an alleged confession by the accused. After a thorough study of

original trial documents, Amnesty International has determined that the

veracity of each of these three pillars is in sufficient doubt to make

a new trail essential.

 

Key concerns

·The three prosecution eyewitnesses substantively altered their description of what they saw between their original statements to police

and their trial testimony. ·The witnesses were confused and unclear about the height of the shooter, what clothes he was wearing, in which hand he held the gun, and whether he ran away from the scene. ·The alleged confession, reportedly crucial to the jury’s decision and sentencing, was first reported more than two months after the shooting. 

.

·The alleged confession directly contradicted the contemporaneous notes of one of the alleged witnesses to the confession (a police  officer) that „the negro male made no comments.“ This evidence was not put before the jury.

·There is also evidence that witnesses were offered inducements to alter their testimony in favour of the prosecution’s version of events.  This evidence was not put before the jury.

·Lack of adequate ballistic tests to determine whether Abu-Jamal’s gun had recently been fired. It was not determined, for instance, whether

there was residue on his hands from firing a gun.

 

Additional information and background

Amnesty International opposes the death penalty in all cases as a

violation of human rights. The organization is therefore calling for a

new trial in which should preclude the re-imposition of a death

sentence.

 

Mumia Abu-Jamal, black, was convicted and sentenced to death in July

1982 for the murder of white police officer Daniel Faulkner on 9

December 1981. He has consistently maintained his innocence.

Amnesty International can take no position on the guilt or innocence of

Mumia Abu-Jamal. The organization has expressed concern however, over

the activities of a government counter-intelligence programme which

appeared to list Abu Jamal among its targets. Amnesty International is

also concerned that political statements attributed to him as a

teenager were improperly used by the prosecution in its efforts to obtain a

death sentence against him.

ENDS…/

Amnesty International, International Secretariat, 1 Easton Street,

WC1X 8DJ, London, United Kingdom