Video and Photo-essay: At The Liberty Bell for Mumia on July 4

--"Fourth of You Lie" protest exposes hypocrisy of Independence Day

by Hans Bennett

VIEW PHOTOS HERE

Hi YPP folks, I hope you enjoy this article by Philadelphia Tribune columnist Linn Washington Jr. who was the only journalist to cover our event, despite emails and faxed press-releases sent everywhere we could think of... Washington also talks about some interesting Philadelphia history to provide a context for Mumia's frameup.
Best,
Hans

NEW FRAME ON FRAMING BY POLICE

By Linn Washington Jr.

Many Philadelphians rudely reject the premise meticulously detailed in the new book by veteran journalist J. Patrick O’Connor: police and prosecutors framed Mumia Abu-Jamal placing an innocent man on death row.

O’Connor provides solid proof for his premise from the very place considered by those convinced of Abu-Jamal’s guilt as their holy-writ: the official transcripts of court proceedings in this case sparking outrage internationally.

Hi YPP,
this is my new article I'm releasing on the eve of our BIG EVENT! If you're not busy, please come and check out our event Wednesday, June 25, 7pm, at The A-Space, 4722 Baltimore Avenue. (Parking nearby and also accessible via the #34 Trolley) Author J. Patrick O'Connor will be in town to speak about "The Framing of Mumia Abu-Jamal" and to sign copies of his new book for the audience. This event is a fundraiser for Journalists for Mumia Abu-Jamal, currently raising money to print the next issue of the newspaper, to be released on July 4. There will be books available for purchase, from which all proceeds will go towards the fundraiser.
Best,
Hans

Can the Media Continue to Ignore "The Framing of Mumia Abu-Jamal"?

Hi YPP folks, check out these updates on the June 13 arrests. This first article summarizes accounts from the Daily News, City Paper, and Phawker blog, and will appear in my newspaper to be released on July 4. Also pasted below is an account of an arrestee.

If you're not busy, please come and check out our event Wednesday, June 25, 7pm, at The A-Space, 4722 Baltimore Avenue. (Parking nearby and also accessible via the #34 Trolley) Author J. Patrick O'Connor will be in town to speak about "The Framing of Mumia Abu-Jamal" and to sign copies of his new book for the audience. This event is a fundraiser for Journalists for Mumia Abu-Jamal, currently raising money to print the next issue of the newspaper, to be released on July 4. There will be books available for purchase, from which all proceeds will go towards the fundraiser.

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Police Critics Illegally Arrested, Home Seized

By Jeff Rousset, Abu-Jamal-News.com

Hi folks, I just got this email from Prometheus Radio...

Date: Fri, 13 Jun 2008 14:19:36 -0700 (PDT)
From: Prometheus Radio Project
Subject: Police critics arrested, home seized in police raid.

Police critics arrested, home seized in police raid.

June 13th, 2007. Philadelphia Police descended upon the home of homeowners
who have been questioning police tactics in Mayor Nutters new "stop and
frisk" program. 4 residents were arrested in their home at 17th street and
Ridge Avenue, and the police are in the process of sealing the building.
The homeowners are being held at the police station, no charges have yet
been filed.

Homeowners had been circulating petitions calling upon Mayor Nutter and
Police Commissioner Ramsey to attend community meetings on the use of
excessive force, surveilance cameras, and the new "stop and frisk"
policy. The mayor and police chief have declined to attend these community

I want to share this stunning new article that Philadelphia journalist Linn Washington Jr. (who I did an interview with in a recent diary) wrote for Counterpunch. Washington has been covering police brutality and corruption in Philly since the Frank Rizzo era of the 1970s---and what a crazy time that was.

As if this recent scandal of the video-taped beating of 3 black suspects wasn't bad enough, Washington reveals some very scary inconsistencies and contradictions in the official police account of what happened before the videotaped beating. Something is really being covered up!

Read the article in full here: http://www.counterpunch.org/washington06052008.html

This is a good one from a local Philly writer----below is an excerpt.

Police declare 'open season' on Black community
By Betsey Piette
Philadelphia
Published May 14, 2008 11:55 PM

Since 2006, police have fatally shot 35 people in Philadelphia, more than in any similar period since 1980. Already in 2008 there have been three reported deadly shootings by police, including one of an unarmed bystander killed by a cop who fired 11 shots into a house where a number of people, including children, were celebrating New Year’s Eve.

Showing little concern for victims of police brutality, John McGrody, vice president of the Philadelphia Fraternal Order of Police, said that “innocent until proven guilty in a court of law” means nothing to him. (Philadelphia Daily News, May 8)

In the same issue of the Daily News, columnist Michael Smerconish, a former attorney for the FOP, openly advocated that police should shoot suspects to save the time and expense of jury trials!

Philadelphia: City of Brotherly Thugs
[col. writ. 5/8/08] (c) '08 Mumia Abu-Jamal

The scene is as common as sunlight: cops beating Black men in the streets.

This time, captured on videotape from a hovering helicopter, a malevolent swarm of cops pull occupants from a car, and then proceed to beat the paste out of the men, kicking, punching, and slamming with a club. At least 15 cops are seen in the broadcast beatdown; an average of 5 to 1.

Within moments of its broadcast came the predictable defense: cops in Philly are "stressed."

One need not even await such defenses anymore: just put a tape on speed dial, and repeat.

If ever there was irony, the three car occupants were charged with aggravated assault, and criminal conspiracy.

VIDEO: May 13 Remembered; Free the MOVE 9!

by Hans Bennett

(Watch video at You Tube)

VIDEO: Changing the rules to deny Mumia justice

An interview with The Framing of Mumia Abu-Jamal author J. Patrick O'Connor at Philadelphia City Hall, #2/3

by Hans Bennett

WATCH THE VIDEO!

Let me first thank Dan and Jennifer for their thoughtful posts and all those who offered supportive comments to me and my family. I do appreciate them.

I am breaking my silence on this issue - with just a few words (less than 600). :)

On January 7, I had the honor and pleasure to stand with Michael A. Nutter, a former City Council colleague, as he took the oath of office to become Mayor. It was an honor that took place after I was sworn-in to my third term on Philadelphia City Council. I was among the first to hug the new Mayor, which I did with sincere pride. Not just because he became the first African-American Mayor to succeed another African-American Mayor, but because I know Michael A. Nutter has the potential to be a great mayor. I called him “Mr. Mayor” instead of “Mike”.

The next time I talked with Mayor Nutter was slightly over 100 hours into his new term. I called “Mike” to inform him of a police shooting that took place two hours before which resulted in the death of my 24-year-old cousin, Timothy Jerome Goode. Mayor Nutter asked for his name - and I responded “Timothy Goode”. Immediately, he recognized that this police shooting would be highly publicized. I informed the Mayor that my family would be focused on two primary pieces of evidence - the autopsy that would confirm whether my cousin was shot in the back twice and video surveillance footage of the shooting incident.

As documented, there were 110 police shootings in 2006 that resulted in 22 people losing their lives. I don’t know their story - but the police shooting of Timothy Jerome Goode is a story that is evolving into a case of “mistaken identity”. Timothy, known as “Tee”, has been characterized in the media as a suspected drug dealer who pointed a gun at police before he was shot. The evidence presented publicly thus far shows that he was shot in the back twice but there is no video footage of the incident although police surveillance cameras were positioned in the area.

Hundreds of people attended Tee’s funeral, not because he was the grand-nephew of a former Mayor or the second-cousin of a third-term at-large councilman. Many were family members who are not impressed with that fact, others were friends who were impressed with Tee - and heart-broken over his death. Timothy “Tee” Goode’s obituary reads quite different than the media portrayal of him by the police department.

Timothy Jerome Goode is remembered by those that knew him as an honor roll student that was valedictorian of his 2001 graduating class at Mercy Vocational High School. He accomplished that by ranking #1.

Timothy studied business in college, received a diploma as an electrician, and completed coursework to obtain a real estate license. Tee was also an accomplished musician and artist who intended to build a studio.

The police shooting of Timothy Jerome Goode was a case of “mistaken identity”. Tee was probably mistaken for someone who had nothing to live for - but he wasn’t a high school dropout, he was a valedictorian. Tee was to become a father for the first time this spring. He was running for his life - and into a brighter future - until he was mistaken for not having one.