Mumia's Lead Attorney to Give First Major Address Since Court Victory

Mumia's Lead Attorney to Give First Major Address Since Court Victory

Tuesday March 21, 2006 at 6 p.m.
The Pope Auditorium at Fordham University's Lincoln Center Campus
113 W. 60th St. (60th St. and Columbus Ave. in Midtown Manhattan)
Admission is free

Robert R. Bryan, chief counsel for journalist, activist, and death row inmate Mumia Abu-Jamal, will discuss the path to a new trial for Mumia in the wake of a resounding federal court victory. The Court decided to review constitutional claims that go to the heart of Mumia's case including racial bias in jury selection, violations of due process stemming from prosecutorial misconduct, and prejudicial treatment against Mumia by the judge.

As a special addition, Mumia Abu-Jamal will address the audience on his campaign for freedom and justice. An outspoken black journalist imprisoned since 1982 after his conviction for the killing of a white police officer, Mr. Abu-Jamal has continued writing and speaking out on social justice issues. He has always maintained his innocence. Mumia currently serves as a Jailhouse Lawyer National Vice President for the National Lawyers Guild. He was awarded an honorary citizenship from Paris in 2003 and organizations including the NAACP, Amnesty International, and the California Labor Federation have called for a new trial in his case.

Robert R. Bryan will be introduced by Robert Meeropol, son of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg. Mr. Meeropol is the Executive Director of the Rosenberg Fund for Children, an organization that has provided support for Mumia's children. Mr. Meeropol's memoir An Execution in the Family was published on the 50th anniversary of his parents' executions. Previously, he and his brother co-authored We Are Your Sons: The Legacy of Ethel and Julius Rosenberg. Mr. Meeropol's introduction will outline a persuasive case linking the tragic execution of his parents and the McCarthy era with Mumia's imprisonment.

This unique program will also include remarks from Deborah Small, the Executive Director of Break the Chains. Ms. Small will put forward an indictment of the prison-industrial complex with an emphasis on drug policy reform.

Also featured is Brian Glick, the director of the Fordham Law Community Economic Development Clinic and the celebrated author of The War at Home and The Jailhouse Lawyer's Manual. Professor Glick will discuss government attacks against progressive political activists including Mr. Abu-Jamal.

Sponsored by: National Lawyers Guild at Fordham Law School-NYC Chapter of the NLG-NLG National Office-Center for Constitutional Rights