Anatomy of a Racist Frame-Up
The Case of Mumia Abu-Jamal
Appendix No. 2: Declaration of Mumia Abu-Jamal
3 May 2001
I, MUMIA ABU-JAMAL, declare:
1. I am the Petitioner in this action. If called as a witness I
could and would testify to the following from my own personal knowledge:
2. I did not shoot Police Officer Daniel Faulkner. I had nothing
to do with the killing of Officer Faulkner. I am innocent.
3. At my trial I was denied the right to defend
myself, I had no confidence in my court-appointed attorney, who never even
asked me what happened the night I was shot and the police officer was killed,
and I was excluded from at least half the trial.
4. Since I was denied all my rights at my trial I did not testify.
I would not be used to make it look like I had a fair trial.
5. I did not testify in the post-conviction proceedings in 1995 on
the advice of my attorney, Leonard Weinglass, who specifically told me not to
testify.
6. Now for the first time I have been given an opportunity to tell
what happened to me in the early morning hours of December 9, 1981. This is
what happened:
7. As a cabbie I often chose 13th and Locust Street because it was
a popular club area with a lot of foot traffic.
8. I worked out of United Cab on the night of 12/9/81.
9. I believe I had recently returned from dropping off a fare in
West Philly.
10. I was filling out my log when I heard some shouting.
11. I glanced in my rear view mirror and saw a flashing dome light
of a police cruiser. This wasnt unusual.
12. I continued to fill out my log/trip sheet when I heard what
sounded like gun shots.
13. I looked again into my rear view mirror and saw people running
up and down Locust.
14. As I scanned I recognized my brother standing in the street
staggering and dizzy.
15. I immediately exited the cab and ran to his scream.
16. As I came across the street I saw a uniformed cop turn toward
me gun in hand, saw a flash and went down to my knees.
17. I closed my eyes and sat still trying to breathe.
18. The next thing that I remember I felt myself being kicked, hit
and being brought out of a stupor.
19. When I opened my eyes, I saw cops all around me.
20. They were hollering and cursing, grabbing and pulling on me. I
felt faint finding it hard to talk.
21. As I looked through this cop crowd all around
me, I saw my brother, blood running down his neck and a cop lying on his back
on the pavement.
22. I was pulled to my feet and then rammed into a
telephone pole beaten where I fell and thrown into a paddy wagon.
23. I think I slept until I heard the door open
and a white cop in a white shirt came in cursing and hit me in the forehead.
24. I don't remember what he said much except a
lot of niggers, black motherfuckers and what not.
...I believe he left and I slept. I dont
remember the wagon moving for a while and when it did for sometime.
25. I awoke to hear the driver speaking over the
radio about his prisoner.
26. I was informed by the anonymous crackle on the
radio that I was en route to the police administration building a few blocks
away.
27. Then, it sounded like I.D.d as M-1 came on
the radio band telling the driver to go to Jefferson Hospital.
28. Upon arrival I was thrown from the wagon to the ground and
beaten.
29. I was beaten again at the doors of Jefferson.
30. Because of the blood in my lungs it was difficult to speak,
and impossible to holler.
31. I never confessed to anything because I had nothing to confess
to.
32. I never said I shot the policeman. I did not shoot the
policeman.
33. I never said I hoped he died. I would never say something like
that.
I declare under penalty of perjury under the laws
of the United States that the above is true and correct and was executed by me
on 3 May, 2001, at Waynesburg, Pennsylvania.
(signed)
MUMIA ABU-JAMAL
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