Mumia Abu-Jamal

EDM number 613 in 2001-02, proposed by Kevin McNamara on 19/12/2001.

That this House welcomes the decision of the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania court on 18th December to quash the death sentence passed on journalist and black political rights activist, Mumia Abu-Jamal; regrets however that his original murder conviction has been maintained despite the confession of Arnold Beverly and his willingness to testify; notes that a court reporter, Ms Terri Maurer-Carter has filed an affidavit stating that the 1982 trial judge boasted in racial terms of his determination to see a death penalty executed and that her evidence to this effect is unchallenged; notes that Amnesty International has condemned the conduct of the Abu-Jamal trial; believes that Mumia Abu-Jamal is the victim of a miscarriage of justice and expresses its belief that a court should now examine all the fresh evidence that will enable Mumia Abu-Jamal to establish his innocence; and further urges the Government to make representations to the United States Federal and state authorities urging their abolition of the death penalty.

This motion has been signed by a total of 39 MPs.