Open World Conference of Workers
In Defense of Trade Union Independence & Democratic Rights
Statement by Baldemar Velasquez on the Dec. 18 District Judge William Yohn's Ruling:
"Our Powerful Movement for Justice for Mumia
Abu-Jamal Forced the Judge to Throw Out the Death Penalty Sentence. We Must Now Redouble Our Efforts to Win Mumia's Freedom!"
[Note: The following statement was issued Dec. 19, 2001, by Baldemar Velasquez, President of the Farm Labor Organizing
Committee/FLOC/AFL-CIO and Convener of the International Committee to Save the Life of Mumia
Abu-Jamal. Velasquez is also a member of the Continuations Committee of the Open World Conference.]
Toledo, Ohio (December 19, 2001) -- On December 18, District Court Judge William Yohn issued his long-awaited decision in the case of Mumia
Abu-Jamal. Yohn upheld Abu-Jamal's conviction, rejecting all 32 points included in the appeal -- all of which demonstrated conclusively that
Abu-Jamal was framed and that his constitutional right to a fair trial was violated. This represents a flagrant travesty of justice.
At the same time, however, Yohn threw out
Abu-Jamal's death-penalty sentence, ordering the State of Pennsylvania to conduct a new sentencing hearing within 180 days. If the State of Pennsylvania does not act on this request within these 180 days,
Abu-Jamal will be sentenced automatically to life in prison, without parole -- even though he is an innocent man.
The decision to strike down the death-penalty sentence represents a major concession to the international movement that has taken to the streets to demand freedom for
Abu-Jamal. Our powerful movement for justice for Abu-Jamal forced the judge to throw out the death penalty sentence. We must now redouble our efforts to win
Abu-Jamal's freedom! We are proud to have contributed to building this broad-based movement with our international campaign directed at then-Attorney General Janet Reno, including the two delegations of leading unionists and elected officials from around the world to the U.S. Justice Department in January and December 2000.
But we are deeply concerned that Judge Yohn's decision does not rule out the death-penalty sentence altogether. Within the next 180 days, according to our reading of the decision, the State of Pennsylvania, which has appealed Yohn's ruling, could re-issue the death penalty sentence.
The death-penalty sentence, which Yohn struck down, must not be reinstated. If anything,
Abu-Jamal should be allowed to go free, having already served 20 years in prison for a crime he did not commit. Judge Yohn's affirmation of
Abu-Jamal's conviction must be reversed. All the evidence produced by Abu-Jamal's attorneys, including the confession of Arnold Beverly, must be heard. The conviction must be overturned and
Abu-Jamal's innocence proclaimed, even if a new trial is required to do this.
The International Committee to Save the Life of Mumia
Abu-Jamal, which has mobilized in more than 60 countries worldwide to demand freedom for
Mumia, will continue its efforts -- now, more than ever -- to win freedom for Mumia
Abu-Jamal. We must all redouble our efforts to win Mumia's freedom.