On Saturday, award-winning journalist and former Black Panther Mumia Abu-Jamal anchored his first interview in 22 years, from his cell at SCI Greene Prison in Pennsylvania. In this exclusive interview, Abu-Jamal talks to attorney Lynne Stewart who is currently under indictment by the Justice Department for “materially aiding a terrorist organization”, during her representation of Sheikh Omar Abdel Rahman.

Stewart says that the indictment heralded by Attorney General John Ashcroft seeks to destroy prisoners’ constitutional right to counsel and suppress their first amendment rights.

For 20 years, Mumia Abu-Jamal has spoken to the world from Pennsylvania’s death row. His writings and commentaries have made him a world-renowned celebrity for racial equality and against the death penalty. His books Live From Death Row, Death Blossoms and All Things Censored have sold over 150,000 copies and been translated into seven languages.

Abu-Jamal was sentenced to death in 1982 for allegedly killing a police officer. He has been on death row ever since but has always maintained his innocence.

Prison officials have repeatedly tried to silence Mumia’s reports from prison but in 1996, the 3rd circuit U.S. court of appeals ruled against prison officials for illegally interfering with Abu-Jamal’s right to counsel and his right to speak to the press. This report was produced by Noelle Hanrahan of the Prison Radio Project

Tape:

• Lynne Stewart, indicted human rights attorney.
• Mumia Abu-Jamal, award-winning journalist on death row.

Related links:

• Lynne Stewart
• International Concerned Family and Friends of Mumia
• Prison Radio Project