Court Action Has Potential to Re-Open Mumia Abu Jamal's Criminal Conviction

On August 7, 2016, Mumia Abu-Jamal filed an appeal based on a U.S. Supreme Court case decided in June. 

In a startling 5-3 decision (Williams v. the Commonwealth of PA), the U.S. Supreme Court held that former DA and retired Pennsylvania Chief Justice, Ronald D. Castille violated death row inmate Terence "Butter" Williams' 5th Amendment due process rights when he refused to remove himself from Williams' appeal.   

This Supreme Court precedential ruling calls into direct question the validity of Mumia Abu-Jamal criminal conviction, and the denial of his appeals. Ronald D. Castille was a senior district attorney while Mumia's case was being tried. 

He was also the District Attorney of Philadelphia during Mumia's direct appeals, and in addition while serving on the PA Supreme Court he rejected a recusal motion filed by Mumia's defense.   

Click here to view the brief that was filed.

Source: Noelle Hanrahan, Director, Prison Radio