"I am no more, no less, than a man – a human being fighting for his breath in a shifting sea of codified hatred. As I seek a safe shore, a harbor, I am buffeted by swells that threaten to drown out my very existence…For me, the "law" is not a refuge, but a ravenous great whale circling ever closer, seeking its prey."
— Mumia Abu-Jamal, from a letter written to Steve Wiser (official "Spiritual Adviser" to Mumia Abu-Jamal, and Bruderhof minister). Reprinted in Death Blossoms.

Mumia Abu-Jamal was a radio journalist in Philadelphia during the 1970s, the years of Mayor Frank Rizzo. A member of the Black Panther Party from age 14 and later a supporter of the MOVE organization, he was known as ”the voice of the voiceless" on Philly air waves. The song "Vocie of the Voiceless" on the Battle of Los Angeles is about Mumia. He was the recipient of a Major Armstrong Award for radio journalism, and was named one of Philadelphia's ”people to watch" in 1981 by Philadelphia magazine. He was president of the Association of Black Journalists in Philadelphia. He had no prior criminal record. Mumia Abu-Jamal was born on April 23, 1954 in Philadelphia, PA.

Mumia has been sitting on death row for the last 17 years and has been locked alone in a cell 23 hours a day, denied contact visits with his family. Any legal type of mail he recieves is frist opened by prison authorities. He was put in punitive detention for wirting his book called "Live From Death Row." Journalists are prohibited from filming or recording interviews with him. As Mumia has put it, "They don't just want my death, they want my silence".

In December of 1981, Mumia was shot by a Philadelphia cop, Daniel Faulkner, and almost died when he intervened in a street incident where his own brother was being beaten by the same cop. The police officer was also shot and killed, and witnesses saw other men run from the scene. Which was not Mumia Abu-Jamal. When more police arrived, they beat Mumia before taking him to the hospital, and he was immediately charged with murder. The Philly police want him all along and this was their chance to nail him. Mumia's brother and another key eyewitness were later harassed by police and driven out of town. Other witnesses who changed their stories to implicate Mumia were rewarded. The dead officer was holding the driver's license application of a third man, but this was never investigated.

I thank FREE Mumia Abu-Jamal for this information! That is such a great site, and if you want more info about Mumia, check it out.

"Watch tha decision of Dred Scott
As it reserves
So long as tha rope
Is tight around Mumia's neck
Let there be no rich white life
We bound to respect
Cause and effect
Can't ya smell tha smoke in tha breeze
My panther my brother we are at war until you're free" (From Voice Of The Voiceless)