Mumia Abu-Jamal made a speech to the Rebellious Lawyering Conference at Yale Law School on February 15, 2019. Audio of the speech is available at Prison Radio.
A transcript of Mumia’s remarks is below.
Click here for a PDF of the transcript
Mumia Abu-Jamal’s Speech to the RebLaw Conference – “Rebel Lawyers”
February 15, 2019
Dear friends at Yale Law School, dear Rebel Lawyers – On a Move!
I greet you all, as I attempt to address the issue of Rebel Lawyers. When I think of the term, the first thing that comes to mind are jailhouse lawyers. They are, by definition, rebels who oppose the prison-industrial complex, especially in the courts. Jailhouse lawyers fight for freedom, for themselves and others, and sometimes they prevail. Some jailhouse lawyers, like John and Mo Africa of the MOVE Organization, defended themselves at trial, and won acquittals. Because such men and women aren’t trained in the law, and do their work using logic and sheer will, they fall under the description of Rebel Lawyers, I think.