Mumia Fires Lawyers-Sally O'Brien

Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit

source - nattyreb1@home.com

5 March 2001

MUMIA FIRES WEINGLASS, WILLIAMS

In a move [sure] to send shockwaves throughout progressive circles, Death
Row journalist Mumia Abu-Jamal has filed a petition in the US District Court
for Pennsylvania's Eastern District to remove his attorneys, Leonard
Weinglass and Dan Williams as counsels for his case.

At issue, says Jamal is the fact that Attorney Dan Williams has written a
book about this internationally recognized case without his permission or
review.  Charging this is a "conflict of interest" Mumia Abu-Jamal has
petitioned the court to grant him Pro Se status -- that is to serve as his
own attorney.

In papers sent to the US District Court last Friday, Abu-Jamal, who has been
on Pennsylvania's death row since 1982, asks the Court to grant his motions
for counsel withdrawal, pro se appointment and for an extension of
"sufficient time to acquire and hire counsel."

The papers further state that "on Saturday, February 24th, 2001, via Federal
Express, the Petitioner (Jamal) learned definitively that Mr. Williams was
in the late processes of publishing a book on the case - purported to be "an
inside account."

Supporting his argument, Abu -Jamal cites "rule 1.8 d of the rules of
Professional Conduct" which, in part, speaks about "prohibited transactions"
among which, the papers state, is a "prohibition against making or
negotiating a literary agreement based substantially on information acquired
by way of a lawyers' representation."

In 1982, Mumia Abu Jamal was convicted in shooting death of a Philadelphia
police officer after a trial that by many standards was rife with
prosecutorial misconduct.  During that trial, Mumia Abu Jamal was denied the
right to self-representation and was, instead, given a court appointed
lawyer, who, by his own admission, was unprepared and unable to handle such
a complicated case.  In addition, during his 1995 Post Conviction Relief
Appeal hearing, witnesses came forward testifying they were coerced and
intimidated to alter their testimony.  At present, Abu-Jamal has a Petition
for habeas corpus before Federal District Court Judge William Yohn - which
if approved could grant him a new trial.

Reached late this afternoon, Attorney Leonard Weinglass told WBAI News he
had no comment except to say "the important thing is that Mumia must be free
and this injustice must be corrected." "I remain available," said Weinglass
"to do whatever I can." In his supporting brief, Abu-Jamal argued "it is a
long-standing principle of law that where a conflict of interest exists
between a client and counsel, the right to effective assistance of counsel
is seriously impaired."

In the meantime, as his supporters await Mumia's official statement, Mumia
Abu-Jamal awaits word from the US District Court in the Eastern District of
Pennsylvania.

For WBAI News, I'm Sally O'Brien

 
=================================================================
  NY Transfer News Collective   *   A Service of Blythe Systems 
           Since 1985 - Information for the Rest of Us          
              339 Lafayette St., New York, NY 10012             
  http://www.blythe.org                  e-mail: nyt@blythe.org 
=================================================================
 
nytrc-03.10.01-11:49:33-19796