EXCERPTS FROM A LEGAL UPDATE WRITTEN BY ATTORNEY ROBERT R. BRYAN,
LEAD COUNSEL FOR MUMIA ABU-JAMAL, APRIL 27, 2004

U.S. Supreme Court: We filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari in the U.S.
Supreme Court on March 8, 2004. Abu-Jamal vs. Pennsylvania, U.S. Supreme Court No.
03-9390. The issues concern the denial of relief by the Pennsylvania Supreme
Court on October 8, 2003. They include: (1) the state court's refusal to even
consider the issue of racism and bias of the trial judge, who stated to court
personnel regarding Mumia: "Yeah, and I'm going to help 'em fry the nigger"; and
(2) the impropriety of a Pennsylvania Supreme Court judge deciding the case on
appeal, because as the former District Attorney in the case he argued for the
execution of Mumia.

Court of Common Pleas, Philadelphia: On December 8, 2003, I filed a Petition
for Habeas Corpus Relief Pursuant To Article I, Section 14 of the Pennsylvania
Constitution, and for Statutory Relief Post-Conviction Relief Under the
Post-Conviction Relief Act.

Commonwealth vs. Abu-Jamal, Court of Common Pleas Nos.
1357-135: In response to a motion of the District Attorney, we submitted a
Reply To Motion To Dismiss on February 13, 2004. The issues concern newly
discovered evidence of innocence. We now have conclusive evidence that the
prosecution's key witness, Cynthia White, lied at trial when she stated that Mumia
shot the police officer. In fact, she was not even present when the shooting
occurred, but was coerced by police investigators to lie in order to secure a
conviction against Mumia. Also, there is additional evidence that the police
fabricated evidence that Mumia admitted to the shooting in the hospital. In
fact, the only thing he said was, "Get off me, get off me, they're trying to kill
me."

 We are also on appeal before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit--
Abu-Jamal v. Horn, Nos. 01-9014 and 02-9001. My latest Status Report was filed
on March 14, 2004. Those proceedings are presently stayed pending a decision by
the U.S. Supreme Court. The government is aggressively trying to kill Mumia. From death row he
continues to write and speak out against injustice throughout the world. The
authorities realize that the only way they can silence Mumia is through executing
him. I am confident that though the combination of the Movement and high
caliber lawyering, we can win.