[Ppnews] Zolo Azania Victory

[PPnews at freedomarchives.org]

On May 1, 2005, Judge Steve David granted Zolo Azania's motion to bar the 
State of Indiana from seeking the death penalty for the third time. The 
Court found that the 24+ year delay between the offense and the scheduled 
sentencing hearing in January, 2006, "has significantly compromised 
Defendant's Constitutional protections and as a result prejudice will 
result in allowing the State to proceed with the death Penalty after so 
much time has elapsed." The Court went on to state that "fundamental 
principles of fairness, due process, and speedy justice warrant this court 
prohibiting the State to seek the death penalty against this Defendant in 
this case under these circumstances."

Although the State has the right to appeal and probably will, we must now 
launch a campaign to urge the State not to appeal this historic and 
unprecedented ruling. Contact Lake County Prosecutor Bernard carter and 
urge hism not be appeal. Phone 219-755-3720 or fax 219-755-3642

(Order attached in PDF file)



For more than 23 years Zolo Agona Azania has been imprisoned on Indiana1s 
death row and has been fighting for his life. Twice he has been sentenced 
to die and twice the death sentence has been reversed on appeal due to 
suppression of favorable evidence by the prosecution, ineffective 
assistance of counsel, and systematic exclusion of Blacks from the jury 
pool. Zolo did not receive a fair trial and has always maintained his total 
innocence of any involvement in the crime.

Now, in January of 2006, Zolo will face a third sentencing trial-a third 
attempt to put him to death-after 25 years of a living hell on death row. 
We must stop this injustice and save Zolo's life!

Zolo Agona Azania is one of the many persons of African descent who await 
execution as a victim of a racially biased criminal justice system. 
Politically active at the time of his arrest, Zolo has been committed to 
the struggle for social justice for all peoples since before his 
imprisonment on death row.






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