[Ppnews] Protest Mumia's Torturous Conditions

[Political Prisoner News]

 From the Free Mumia Abu-Jamal Coalition/NYC:
From: info at freemumia.com
Date: Sun, 08 Jan 2012 16:05:40 -0000

MUMIA STILL HELD IN SOLITARY CONFINEMENT - A LEGAL UPDATE

Mumia is still in Administrative Custody (AC) -- the hole -- at SCI 
Mahanoy. The confinement conditions in all the Restricted Housing 
Units (RHU) are degrading and tortuous.

Mumia is on a cellblock that houses AC as well as disciplinary 
custody inmates. He is in solitary confinement, with lights glaring 
24/7, without adequate food, or the opportunity to buy food to 
supplement his diet. He is shackled and handcuffed whenever outside 
his solitary cell -- including when he goes to shower. And he is 
isolated without regular phone calls, or access to his property, 
including legal materials, books and typewriter. His visiting hours 
are limited. In short, Mumia is being subjected to conditions in AC 
that are more onerous than those on death row.

There is no legal basis for Mumia to be confined in AC. At the point 
he was no longer under a death sentence, he should have been 
transferred into general population. This is not dependent on a court 
date for Mumia to be formally resentenced to life imprisonment.

On January 3 and January 6, 2012 I submitted demand letters on 
Mumia's behalf to John Wetzel, Secretary for the Pennsylvania 
Department of Corrections (DOC), and to John Kerestes, Superintendent 
SCI Mahanoy, to immediately transfer and assign Mumia to general 
population with full visitation, phone and commissary privileges and 
access to all programs and services. The stated legal grounds are the 
following: The degrading, dehumanizing, tortuous conditions of Mumia 
Abu- Jamal's confinement in administrative custody at SCI Mahanoy are 
an abuse of authority, counter to DOC regulations, punitive, 
discriminatory, in violation of his protected liberty interests and 
his civil rights, including First Amendment rights.

The DOC regulations allow only two permanent categories of 
imprisonment, death row and general population. AC is by law only a 
temporary placement. It must be based on defined grounds, justified 
and implemented subject to procedural due process. None of the 
grounds listed in the DOC regulations for placement in AC apply to 
Mumia. In fact, on December 8, 2011 the DOC transferred Mumia from 
death row at SCI Greene and onto a cellblock that does not house 
capital inmates. On December 14, the DOC ordered Mumia moved to a 
medium security facility, SCI Mahanoy, which by regulation cannot 
hold death row prisoners.

The response by the DOC via telephone by Chief Counsel Suzanne 
Hueston was that Mumia is in AC pending resentencing and further 
evaluations. These are bogus explanations. The December 2001 federal 
court ruling that Mumia's death sentence is illegal has been upheld 
on appeal. The District Attorney has stated there will be no trial to 
obtain a new death sentence. Therefore Mumia should be in general population.

Nor is there a reason or basis for "further evaluation." Mumia has 
been confined in Pennsylvania prisons for some thirty years. The DOC 
unquestionably knows his history, conduct and behavior. There is 
nothing in Mumia's personal record to justify holding him in 
Administrative Custody.

The DOC's treatment of Mumia is punishment for depriving the FOP and 
Philadelphia District Attorney of his execution. This is the latest 
attempt by this frame-up system to silence Mumia, an innocent man, 
and to subject him to tortuous, punitive conditions in the hole.

Rachel Wolkenstein, Attorney
January 7, 2012

********************************************************************
Tell these officials that Mumia must be immediately transferred to 
General Population.

1) Write Call Phone and email the Secretary of Corrections
John Wetzl, Secretary Department of Corrections
2520 Lisburn Road,
P.O. Box 598
Camp Hill, PA 17001-0598
717) 975-4928 Email: ra-contactdoc at pa.gov


2) Write Call Phone and email the Superintendent of SCI Mahanoy

John Kerestes, Superintendent
SCI Mahanoy
301 Morea Road
Frackville, PA 17932
(570) 773-2158
fax 570-783-2008

3) Write Call Phone and email the Philadelphia DA

Seth Williams, DA Philadelphia
Three South Penn Square
Philadelphia, PA 19107-3499
(215) 686-8000
Email: DA_Central at phila.gov

and finally if you can send Mumia a note or a card.

Write to Mumia:

Mumia Abu-Jamal
AM 8335
SCI Mahanoy
301 Morea Road
Frackville, PA 17932



--Mumia is Innocent!  Stop the Frame Up!  Free Mumia!--

Free Mumia Abu-Jamal Coalition, NYC
P.O. Box 16, College Station, NY, NY 10030
212-330-8029, www.FreeMumia.com, info at FreeMumia.com



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