New Trial Sought In Black Panther Execution
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.
PHILADELPHIA — Former Black Panther Mumia Abu-Jamal cannot be executed for murdering a Philadelphia police officer without a new penalty hearing, a federal appeals court said yesterday.
The 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld Abu-Jamal’s conviction but said he should get a new sentencing hearing because of flawed jury instructions. If prosecutors don’t want to give him a new death penalty hearing, Abu-Jamal would be sentenced automatically to life in prison.
Prosecutors are weighing their options, Assistant District Attorney Hugh Burns Jr. said yesterday.
Abu-Jamal’s lead attorney, Robert Bryan, said he was glad the judges did not reinstate the death sentence but added that he wants the full court to hear the case and grant his client a new trial.
