[Ppnews] Court grants new sentencing for Mumia Abu-Jamal

Tue Apr 26 11:23:52 EDT 2011

Court grants new sentencing for Mumia Abu-Jamal

Updated at 11:02 AM today
http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=news/local&id=8094602&pt=print

By MARYCLAIRE DALE Associated Press

PHILADELPHIA - April 26, 2011 (WPVI) -- A U.S. 
appeals court is awarding death-row activist 
Mumia Abu-Jamal a new sentencing hearing in the 
1981 murder of a Philadelphia police officer.

Tuesday's ruling is the latest in the former 
Black Panther's long-running legal saga.

The 58-year-old Mumia's first-degree murder 
conviction stands in the fatal shooting of Officer Daniel Faulkner.

But the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals is 
upholding its earlier ruling that the 
death-penalty instructions to the jury were unclear at Mumia's 1982 trial.

The U.S. Supreme Court last year ordered the court to review that decision.

The three-judge panel is standing by its decision 
after hearing a new round of legal arguments.

Philadelphia DA responds

In a statement released shortly after the ruling 
was announced, Philadelphia District Attorney 
Seth Williams said his office is thoroughly reviewing the decision.

"We continue to maintain that granting this new 
sentencing hearing is contrary to clearly 
established precedent of the United States 
Supreme Court, and we are now considering whether 
to seek further review of today's decision in the 
Supreme Court," Williams is quoted as saying in the statement.

Williams said he would have more to say after his 
office has had a chance to more thoroughly examine today's decision.

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