Here's a guy I never thought I'd hear about again: Mumia Abu-Jamal, the former Black Panther and radio journalist on Philidelphia's death row.
Abu-Jamal, convicted in 1982 of fatally shooting a Philly cop during a traffic stop, became a cause-celebre in the late 90s for all types of counter-culture types like anti-death penalty activists and black power groups, who, like Abu-Jamal, claimed he was the victim of a racist criminal justice system. At nearly every large-scale protest in the late 90s, you could find some guy hawking "Free Mumia" stickers emblazoned with the prisoner's dreadlocked mug.
Then, around 2001, I suddenly stopped hearing about him. After George Bush strolled into office, it seemed progressive organizations had bigger worries than some taxi cab driver on death row. But Abu-Jamal's lawyers have continued to fight for a new trial.
On March 27, Abu-Jamal was denied a new trial, but a panel of three judges did rule he deserved a re-sentencing. And, unless the district attorney pushes for a new sentencing trial, Abu-Jamal will leave death row for life in prison. There's still chance for this to reach the U.S. Supreme Court, too.
Once again, cities on both coasts are planning rallies; Abu-Jamal gets another day in the spotlight; freemumia.com will get a million more hits; and somewhere, some guy is fishing out his shoe box full of those "Free Mumia" stickers.
(Photo credit: Glutnix on Flikr)
This article appears in Apr 2-8, 2008.