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| Abu-Jamal Denied Chance for New Trial |
| By Associated Press |
| Published: 12/03/2001 |
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Death row inmate Mumia Abu-Jamal has been denied a chance for a new trial in the 1981 killing of a police officer. Common Pleas Judge Pamela Dembe said November 21 she does not have jurisdiction over a petition for a new trial filed by Abu-Jamal, a former Black Panther and radio journalist convicted in the murder of Officer Daniel Faulkner. Abu-Jamal argued that his former lawyers did a poor job and that he has new evidence that could clear him. The death row inmate's federal appeal is still pending. Faulkner, 25, was killed after he pulled over Abu-Jamal's brother in a downtown traffic stop. Abu-Jamal exhausted his state appeals two years ago, but a petition filed in September argued his lawyers have important new evidence, including another man's confession to the slaying. In a 1999 affidavit, a man named Arnold Beverly claimed he was hired by the mob to kill Faulkner because the officer had interfered with mob payoffs to police. Abu-Jamal's former lawyers, Leonard Weinglass and Daniel R. Williams, said they don't think the confession was credible. Abu-Jamal argued he should be entitled to another state appeal because the attorneys denied him the right to effective counsel. Prosecutors have argued that Abu-Jamal's request for a new appeal was not filed in time because he knew about the Beverly petition two years ago. The judge in the case called Beverly's confession into question. 'Witnesses who recant and witnesses who mysteriously appear long after trial are regarded with suspicion by the courts,' Dembe wrote. |
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