NOVANEWS
World-renowned political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal has been hospitalized, and his life may be in danger. We urge all our readers to take the requested actions below.
The following appeal was issued over Facebook:
Urgent Action Alert: Mumia Abu-Jamal in Medical Center
At 1pm EST today, Mumia Abu-Jamal had a medical emergency and was taken to the Intensive Care Unit at Schuylkill Medical Center in Pottsville, PA.
Call these numbers now to demand hospital visitation rights for Mumia’s family:
Richard Ellers
Director, PA Department of Corrections Health Care Services
rellers@pa.gov
(717) 728-5311
John Wetzel
Secretary, PA Department of Corrections
(717) 728-4109
Schuylkill Medical Center
420 S Jackson St, Pottsville, PA
(570) 621-5000
SCI Mahanoy
Superindendent John Kerestes
(570) 773-2158
We do not trust that the prison officials will provide any transparency on Mumia’s medical emergency. They indeed told us Phil Africa was fine, and he passed away the next day.
The following report was circulated by the Campaign to Bring Mumia Home:
Supporters of Mumia travelled to Frackville, PA to visit Mumia today because we knew that he was not well. When we arrived we were told that he was hospitalized. We did a little reconnaissance and were able to get into the unit where he is being held, but were not let in to see him to see him. We were within 10 feet, spoke to his nurses, and delivered a note saying that we are here. Unclear that he will get it. Four uniformed guards are outside his room. Mumia has been sick for months. He landed in the hospital because he did not get the proper care. We were just asked to vacate the building. It’s time to mobilize to defend Mumia’s life. Please call the medical center at 570-773-2158 and the Superintendent at SCI Mahanoy, John Kerestes 570-773–2158 x 18102
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Mumia Abu-Jamal (born Wesley Cook April 24, 1954) is an American former activist and journalist who was convicted and sentenced to death on July 3, 1982, for the December 1981 murder of Philadelphia police officer Daniel Faulkner. Activists, celebrities, and political organizations criticized the fairness of his trial or opposed his death penalty. The Faulkner family, public authorities, and police organizations maintained that he was properly convicted and appropriately sentenced. Once described as “perhaps the world’s best known death-row inmate” by The New York Times, during his imprisonment he has published books and commentaries on social and political issues, including Live from Death Row (1995).
Abu-Jamal became involved in black nationalism in his youth and was a member of the Black Panther Party until October 1970. While a self described “Lieutenant of Information” for the party, he quoted Mao Zedong during one of his interviews, saying that “political power grows out of the barrel of a gun”. He was closely involved with the leftist organization MOVE that protested police brutality and was involved in several incidents that included conflict with the police, violence, and homicide. After leaving the party, he became a radio journalist – eventually becoming president of the Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists.
The following appeal was issued over Facebook:
Urgent Action Alert: Mumia Abu-Jamal in Medical Center
At 1pm EST today, Mumia Abu-Jamal had a medical emergency and was taken to the Intensive Care Unit at Schuylkill Medical Center in Pottsville, PA.
Call these numbers now to demand hospital visitation rights for Mumia’s family:
Richard Ellers
Director, PA Department of Corrections Health Care Services
rellers@pa.gov
(717) 728-5311
John Wetzel
Secretary, PA Department of Corrections
(717) 728-4109
Schuylkill Medical Center
420 S Jackson St, Pottsville, PA
(570) 621-5000
SCI Mahanoy
Superindendent John Kerestes
(570) 773-2158
We do not trust that the prison officials will provide any transparency on Mumia’s medical emergency. They indeed told us Phil Africa was fine, and he passed away the next day.
The following report was circulated by the Campaign to Bring Mumia Home:
Supporters of Mumia travelled to Frackville, PA to visit Mumia today because we knew that he was not well. When we arrived we were told that he was hospitalized. We did a little reconnaissance and were able to get into the unit where he is being held, but were not let in to see him to see him. We were within 10 feet, spoke to his nurses, and delivered a note saying that we are here. Unclear that he will get it. Four uniformed guards are outside his room. Mumia has been sick for months. He landed in the hospital because he did not get the proper care. We were just asked to vacate the building. It’s time to mobilize to defend Mumia’s life. Please call the medical center at 570-773-2158 and the Superintendent at SCI Mahanoy, John Kerestes 570-773–2158 x 18102
—————————–
Mumia Abu-Jamal (born Wesley Cook April 24, 1954) is an American former activist and journalist who was convicted and sentenced to death on July 3, 1982, for the December 1981 murder of Philadelphia police officer Daniel Faulkner. Activists, celebrities, and political organizations criticized the fairness of his trial or opposed his death penalty. The Faulkner family, public authorities, and police organizations maintained that he was properly convicted and appropriately sentenced. Once described as “perhaps the world’s best known death-row inmate” by The New York Times, during his imprisonment he has published books and commentaries on social and political issues, including Live from Death Row (1995).
Abu-Jamal became involved in black nationalism in his youth and was a member of the Black Panther Party until October 1970. While a self described “Lieutenant of Information” for the party, he quoted Mao Zedong during one of his interviews, saying that “political power grows out of the barrel of a gun”. He was closely involved with the leftist organization MOVE that protested police brutality and was involved in several incidents that included conflict with the police, violence, and homicide. After leaving the party, he became a radio journalist – eventually becoming president of the Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists.
