Mumia Abu-Jamal is a valiant journalist who has been on death row since 1981. He is the world’s most famous political prisoner in a country which accepts people fleeing political persecution from many nations. However, Mumia has languished in prison all these many years because of the racist double standard in the US legal system. He was persecuted because, as a former Black Panther Party minister of information (Philadelphia), he persistently covered the MOVE organization, which was itself at odds with the State.

Today, this morning, 8 April 2009, I received word via email that Mumia had been found dead in his cell. This is just days following the US Supreme Court’s denial of his right to appeal based on the Batson v Kentucky precedent. Batson says that potential jurors cannot be eliminated from serving based upon peremptory challenges issued by the prosecutor. Yet the court refused to recognize its own decision, on what basis I don’t kno.

So it was reported that Mumia Abu-Jamal had been found dead in his cell, told to Janet Africa by a prison guard. Here is the text of the missive:

EMERGENCY CALL-IN FOR MUMIA ABU-JAMAL!!!

JANET AFRICA WAS TOLD BY A GUARD THIS A.M. THAT MUMIA WAS FOUND IN HIS CELL DEAD.

WE HAVEN’T BEEN ABLE TO CONFIRM ANYTHING ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, WE BELIEVE IT TO BE A LIE, BUT WE DON’T KNOW.
MUMIA MUST CALL MOVE HQ IMMEDIATELY AT 215-387-4107 TO LET US KNOW HE IS OK.
CALL SCI GREENE AND DEMAND THAT MUMIA (AM#8335) BE GIVEN A PHONE CALL RIGHT NOW AT 724-852-2902.
THE GUARD THAT TOLD JANET AFRICA WHAT WE HOPE IS A LIE MUST BE FIRED FROM HIS JOB!!

So I called right away and got ahold of the superintendent’s receptionist. I demanded that MAJ be allowed to phone his supporters and let them kno he is alright. Then I emailed about 300 people and groups in my lists from two accounts. I posted the text on Facebook. That was crucial! I was upset. I had two of my woman friends call. They got the word out as well. Don’t mess with the sisters! Don’t mess with em, they don’t play!

Anyway, I was chatting with about four people when the word came in Mumia was doing fine. *Sigh! What a relief. Mumia was doing as well as can be expected for anyone sitting on death row for the last 28 years. The avalanche of phone calls from around the world forced the prison to give him an immediate phone call to someone not on his list, but that party faithfully relayed his message to the right people. That is unprecedented. I am still fired up! Because it shows the power of the People. Peace amongst comrades, y’all. WAR on Babylon!!