Category Archives: Statements and Articles

PROTEST POLICE SHOOTING IN OAKLAND! JUSTICE FOR OSCAR GRANT! JAIL KILLER COPS!

January 7, 2009

As of this writing (late on January 7th, 09), young people from the Fruitvale neighborhood and around Oakland are in the streets protesting the outrageous shooting of Oscar Grant III, an unarmed man who was LYING ON HIS STOMACH on a BART (subway) platform in Oakland early on New Years day. He died a short time later at Highland hospital. The shooter was a BART cop who stood over the victim and fired the shot into Oscar at point blank range for no apparent reason. Cell phone video footage, now displayed at www.ktvu.com, a local tv station, shows clearly that Grant was flat on the ground and not resisting at the time of the shooting. Protesters have closed three BART stations, attacked police cars, and marched on city hall. The Labor Action Committee To Free Mumia Abu-Jamal (an Oakland-based defense organization), also protests this horrendous, barbarous act of murder. Justice for Oscar Grant! Jail killer cops!

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The Labor Action Committee to Free Mumia Abu-Jamal Condemns Michael Moore’s Statement That Mumia is Guilty of Murdering Policeman Daniel Faulkner!

In his new book, “Dude, Where’s My Country” Michael Moore states that Mumia Abu-Jamal is probably guilty of murdering the Philadelphia policeman Daniel Faulkner. This is irresponsible journalism! Moore did not talk to or write to Mumia, he did not talk to anyone actively involved in his defense, nor did he contact any of Mumia’s past or current lawyers. His book notes on this comment do NOT cite any of the many web sites, which contain the massive new evidence developed during the past few years, which would convince any objective journalist that Mumia is innocent; that he has been the subject of a massive frame-up.

When the Labor Action Committee learned of this devastating blow to Mumia we immediately took steps to try to organize a protest demonstration at Moore’s San Francisco presentation on his new book. When this failed we made and carried a banner for the anti-war march in San Francisco reading:

“Mumia Is Innocent: Another Man Confessed.

Philly Cops Planned Murder. Free Mumia Now.”

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Outrageous Decision!

October 2003—The courts have once again shown their true face, by denying justice to Mumia Abu-Jamal. In a ruling on October 8th, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court rejected Jamal’s appeal, despite mountains of evidence that shows he was framed for a crime he didn’t commit. For the Court, evidence has no merit if it’s not “timely.” In other words, if you’re a little late getting to court with new evidence to prove your innocence, too bad. You’re dead…because, innocence is no defense!

The US Supreme Court said the same thing in Herrera v Collins in 1993, and an innocent man went to his death. The 1996 Anti-Terrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act (AEDPA), a Republican crime bill signed by Democratic President Bill Clinton, made timeliness official in death row appeals, and effectively killed the right of habeas corpus. So it was no surprise when William H.Yohn cited both Herrara and the AEDPA in denying Mumia’s federal appeal in December 2001. There’s no statute of limitations on murder committed by individuals, but to prove your innocence, you better be on time! (In Mumia’s case, betrayal of earlier counsel caused a delay in presenting key evidence, but the Court still gave thumbs down.)

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