he national staff of the Black Panther newspaper. Later as a radio journalist he regularly exposed incidents of police brutality.
             In the sentencing phase of his trial, the prosecutor used political quotes from an interview with Jamal from ten years earlier as an argument to the jury for his execution. "
             This is addressed below in the "Outline of the Evidence" section.
             2000 is the critical year for Jamal's case. He has filed his application for a federal writ of habeas corpus. But under the onerous provisions of the Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996, federal courts are required to give a presumption of correctness to state court findings of fact. This throws Jamal's appeal back into the era of "states rights" as if the Civil Rights Movement never happened. The public must demand a full federal evidentiary hearing on this case.
             Jamal's case is where we must draw the line on "no questions asked" executions used to suppress dissent. It is critical that organizations of conscience take up this case, as its outcome will effect the lives of thousands for years to come
             Mumia was brought to trial in June of 1982, and was sentenced to death on July 3, 1982. The judge, Albert Sabo, had sentenced more people to death than any other sitting judge in the United States. In an unrelated case, six Philadelphia lawyers, some former prosecutors, offered to testify that no accused could receive a fair trial in his court.
             Under the system of justice used in Pennsylvania the judge does not sentence the defendant to death. By state law, a jury of 12 citizens hears the evidence against the accused individual and they must unanimously agree to convict the defendant. Once the decision to convict the defendant has been made, the jury has two options: impose a life sentence or the death penalty. Again, based on the evidence against the defendant, the 12 person jury mostly decide unanimously to impose the death sentence.
             It may be argued that a j...