Convicted Cop-Killer Mumia Abu-Jamal's Death Sentence Commuted to Life in Prison

[capcrunch98]

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/breaking/20111207_D_A__wont_seek_death_penalty_for_Mumia_Abu-Jamal.html?cmpid=124488429

Everything I've read about this case implies the guy is guilty. There are a few things that have come up after the original trial (most notably the recanting of witness statements) which for some people could generate suspicion, but certainly nothing I can see that would explain why he gets unlimited appeals (it's been 30 years!) and half of the planet is convinced of his innocence and is taking up his cause.

Unreal.

[Popeman38]

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/breaking/20111207_D_A__wont_seek_death_penalty_for_Mumia_Abu-Jamal.html?cmpid=124488429

Everything I've read about this case implies the guy is guilty. There are a few things that have come up after the original trial (most notably the recanting of witness statements) which for some people could generate suspicion, but certainly nothing I can see that would explain why he gets unlimited appeals (it's been 30 years!) and half of the planet is convinced of his innocence and is taking up his cause.

Unreal.

Dude is guilty.

[Predicto]

I've been saving this .gif for a long time.

Anyhow, I think he is probably guilty too, but I also think that "probably" should never be good enough for executing anyone. Life in prison is the safe bet.

[Bostic Hog]

This is a such a farce of a judicial system - what more do you need? There are eye-witnesses, he confessed. This SCUMBAG should have been 6 feet under 20 years ago.

RIP Officer Faulkner, and God watch over your poor wife, who STILL can't put this **** to bed.

[Predicto]

This is a such a farce of a judicial system - what more do you need? There are eye-witnesses, he confessed. This SCUMBAG should have been 6 feet under 20 years ago.

RIP Officer Faulkner, and God watch over your poor wife, who STILL can't put this **** to bed.

Several of those witnesses recanted, there is no actual confession, and a lot of the "facts" people believe are not actually found in the trial record. Like I said before, I think he is probably guilty, but there are some troubling aspects to this case.

And I feel for Officer Faulkner's wife, but executing Mumia isn't going to bring her husband back. He has no possibility of parole.

[StillUnknown]

This is a such a farce of a judicial system - what more do you need? There are eye-witnesses, he confessed. This SCUMBAG should have been 6 feet under 20 years ago.

RIP Officer Faulkner, and God watch over your poor wife, who STILL can't put this **** to bed.

you make it seem like he's being released.

[LadySkinsFan]

Not enough evidence for the death penalty. Unlike the Beltway Sniper. So he gets to stay in jail for the rest of his life. His supporters got their wish. All that time and money can be spent on other things.

[Bostic Hog]

Several of those witnesses recanted, there is no actual confession, and a lot of the "facts" people believe are not actually found in the trial record. Like I said before, I think he is probably guilty, but there are some troubling aspects to this case.

And I feel for Officer Faulkner's wife, but executing Mumia isn't going to bring her husband back. He has no possibility of parole.

He's a big ass celebrity in jail, you know, "giving it to the man". He spews hate and racism, killed a cop, and should be burning in hell for the last 20 years.

[Predicto]

He's a big ass celebrity in jail, you know, "giving it to the man". He spews hate and racism, killed a cop, and should be burning in hell for the last 20 years.

I'm not a supporter of his, but I don't agree with this characterization either. Claiming you were framed is not "spewing hate and racism."

Honestly, a lot of people who want Mumia executed seem to want it more to get back at all the leftists and intellectuals than any other reason. :whoknows:

[Larry]

Let's assume that your wish were granted. Let's construct, in our heads, an alternate reality in which everything is the same, except the guy got executed 20 years ago.

So now we're in this alternate universe. Where all the witnesses have gone public and announced that they've changed their minds. Where all of the other inconsistencies (I don't remember what they are. But whatever they are, they're the same ones we have in the real world, today.), are still inconsistencies.

If everything were the same, today, except that the guy has been dead for 10 years . . .

Would that be a better world? If we were finding all this stuff out after we'd executed somebody?

[Predicto]

Let's assume that your wish were granted. Let's construct, in our heads, an alternate reality in which everything is the same, except the guy got executed 20 years ago.

So now we're in this alternate universe. Where all the witnesses have gone public and announced that they've changed their minds. Where all of the other inconsistencies (I don't remember what they are. But whatever they are, they're the same ones we have in the real world, today.), are still inconsistencies.

If everything were the same, today, except that the guy has been dead for 10 years . . .

Would that be a better world? If we were finding all this stuff out after we'd executed somebody?

After you execute somebody, people stop looking very hard to find stuff out. That's simple reality.

[Larry]

After you execute somebody, people stop looking very hard to find stuff out. That's simple reality.

I'm well aware of that fact.

But I didn't want to come out and say that people want faster executions because it would result in less truth coming out.

But I do think there's an element of that. "If we'd just executed this guy 10 years ago, then we wouldn't know all these things."

[Bostic Hog]

Everyone has their own opinion, based on their own circumstances, based on their own beliefs. I don't care about an alternate universe. I advocate for executing this killer and you cannot possibly change my mind.

[Larry]

Everyone has their own opinion, based on their own circumstances, based on their own beliefs. I don't care about an alternate universe. I advocate for executing this killer and you cannot possibly change my mind.

No matter what the facts are.

[LadySkinsFan]

I'm well aware of that fact.

But I didn't want to come out and say that people want faster executions because it would result in less truth coming out.

But I do think there's an element of that. "If we'd just executed this guy 10 years ago, then we wouldn't know all these things."

Well, they do in Virginia. They've passed laws of very aggressive timelines when new evidence, even exculpatory evidence can be introduced into the court system and limits on what exactly can be introduced. Virginia is one of the most aggressive death states. All due to Republican leadership in that state.

[Predicto]

Everyone has their own opinion, based on their own circumstances, based on their own beliefs. I don't care about an alternate universe. I advocate for executing this killer and you cannot possibly change my mind.

I believe you.

[Bostic Hog]

No matter what the facts are.

The facts are this:

He was convicted of murdering a Philly cop in cold blood. Many appeal courts have upheld the conviction.

[Predicto]

The facts are this:

He was convicted of murdering a Philly cop in cold blood. Many appeal courts have upheld the conviction.

And the EXACT same courts also cancelled his death sentence because of irregularities at his trial and sent it back for a do-over. Was that ruling bad while the others were good?

So here we are. He's in prison and he's never getting out. I'm good with that.

[Larry]

The facts are this:

He was convicted of murdering a Philly cop in cold blood. Many appeal courts have upheld the conviction.

And a federal judge, and the court of appeals, and the USSC, all agreed that his SENTANCING was unfair.

---------- Post added December-7th-2011 at 08:50 PM ----------

And the EXACT same courts also cancelled his death sentence because of irregularities at his trial and sent it back for a do-over. Was that ruling bad while the others were good?

So here we are. He's in prison and he's never getting out. I'm good with that.

Is he? (Never getting out.).

The article says the DA has decided not to ask for the death penalty, this time. But I assume that there's still going to be some kind of sentencing.

Do we know that he result is going to be life without parole? Or could he just get plain old life?

[Kilmer17]

No doubt he did it.

But again Im stuck in the "I dont think the Govt should murder for revenge" mindset.

Let him rot in prison.

Id only ask they make it a alot less comfortable.

[Larry]

And the EXACT same courts also cancelled his death sentence because of irregularities at his trial and sent it back for a do-over. Was that ruling bad while the others were good?

So here we are. He's in prison and he's never getting out. I'm good with that.

Is he? (Never getting out.).

The article says the DA has decided not to ask for the death penalty, this time. But I assume that there's still going to be some kind of sentencing.

Do we know that he result is going to be life without parole? Or could he just get plain old life?

[Predicto]

And a federal judge, and the court of appeals, and the USSC, all agreed that his SENTANCING was unfair.

---------- Post added December-7th-2011 at 08:50 PM ----------

Is he? (Never getting out.).

The article says the DA has decided not to ask for the death penalty, this time. But I assume that there's still going to be some kind of sentencing.

Do we know that he result is going to be life without parole? Or could he just get plain old life?

Nope, its LWOP. Life without possibility of parole.

[Larry]

Me, I still "believe in" the death penalty. My reasoning is that I think that some crimes, death is Justice.

(Including some things that don't get the death penalty, right now. For example, if Sandusky is as guilty as I suspect he is, then I wouldn't have a problem with a death penalty for him.)

(And, from reading what this guy was supposedly convicted of, I can see the claim that this is one of those cases).

But I do have to admit that, he more I see of cases where people have pretty much been framed, at least somewhat, and cases where DAs have spent decades fighting to CONCEAL evidence from the court's consideration, (and seeing the posts from the people who seem to think hat this is some kind of contest, and their side scores a touchdown whenever they get to kill somebody), that my support for the thing certainly isn't what it once was.

[heyholetsgogrant]

Dude is guilty.

Even Michael Moore thinks hes guilty (no joke).

[Slateman]

I don't see a reason to have a death penalty. It doesn't prevent anything. It won't bring back the victims. It won't give any peace to those left behind.

And honestly, what sucks more? Being out to sleep ten years after you're convicted or know that you will be spending every second of every minute of the rest of your life behind bars, avoiding rape in the shower.