We Protest the Imprisonment of Clark Kissinger!

We are writing to protest the December 6, 2000, imprisonment of Clark Kissinger. For the last several years Mr. Kissinger has played a key role in the growing movement demanding a new trial for Pennsylvania Death Row inmate Mumia Abu-Jamal.

On July 4th, 1999, Clark Kissinger and 95 others carried out a peaceful act of civil disobedience at the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia. They were all issued summonses for "failing to obey a lawful order," classified, as a traffic ticket is, a "petty offense." 90 pled guilty and paid a fine. Six, including Clark Kissinger, demanded a jury trial. The Judge sentenced them to a $250 fine and one year's supervised probation.

The length of the probationary period was grossly disproportionate to the underlying "crime," and its terms were clearly designed to hamper Mr. Kissinger's efforts to organize for a new trial for Mumia Abu-Jamal. Clark Kissinger was forced to surrender his passport, and turn over monthly lists of all sources of his income and contacts with convicted persons. He also was prohibited from traveling outside of New York City without the court's permission. Further revealing the political nature of this restriction, three times Clark was granted permission to travel to visit his sick mother, and three times he was denied permission to travel to speak on the case of Mumia Abu-Jamal.

On August 1st, thousands of young people came to Philadelphia, the city where MAJ was tried, to protest at the Republican National Convention, where the nation's leading executioner, George W. Bush, was to be nominated. Despite being denied permission to travel there to speak and report on the convention for various media, Clark went anyway and spoke of Mumia's case, saying "We are going to fight this fight to win, and unite with people of all different viewpoints from all different communities, expanding our broadness, our diversity and our determination."

On December 6, 2000, Clark was charged with violating probation and sentenced to 90 days of jail. Both the prosecutor and the Judge made clear that they were jailing Clark for giving this speech, for asserting his right to do so, and for his continued advocacy on behalf of Mumia Abu-Jamal.

First year law students are taught that the law has outgrown medieval formality and that a just legal determination is one that reflects the substance not the form of a situation. In Mr. Kissinger's case the Judge declares that he is merely imposing punishment for Mr. Kissinger's failure to abide by the terms of his probation. That rationalization reflects the form of the situation - its substance is that someone in this country has been imprisoned for giving a political speech.

The case of Mumia Abu-Jamal is entering its most critical phase, his first appearance before the Federal Courts where his Habeas Corpus petition will be argued, the only opportunity where the evidence that the state of Pennsylvania has suppressed can be admitted to the record. This act of judicial repression against Clark Kissinger in fact is aimed against the movement to save Mumia's life. But, it is more than that. It is an outrage that offends the very concept of justice. The facts are stark: Mr. Kissinger, a political figure, has been imprisoned without a jury trial for giving a political speech at a political event. We demand the immediate release of Clark Kissinger. We call on all who cherish freedom to join us.

Pam Africa, International Concerned Family & Friends of Mumia Abu-Jamal

Safiya Bukhari, Free Mumia Abu-Jamal Coalition (New York)

Sam Jordan

Jeff Mackler, Mobilization to Free Mumia Abu-Jamal (Northern California)

Robert Meeropol, Rosenberg Fund for Children

Monica Moorehead, International Action Center

Joan Parkin, Campaign to End the Death Penalty

Marcus Rediker, Western PA Committee to Free Mumia (Pittsburgh)

Debra Sweet, Refuse & Resist!

Mark Taylor, Academics for Mumia Abu-Jamal

Steve Wiser, Bruderhof Communities

Julia Wright, International Concern Family & Friends Of Mumia Abu-Jamal (Paris)



affiliations are given for identification purposes only

Nicholas Downey & Marilyn Vogt-Downey

Herman and Betty Liveright, Lenox, MA

Peter Rachleff, Professor of History, Macalester College Ronnie Dadone

Noelle Hanrahan/ Prison Radio

DON PAUL, Writer, performer

Paul Zarembka, editor, RESEARCH IN POLITICAL ECONOMY at ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/Pzarembka

Alexander S. Ngnoubamdjum, Black Students Organisation (Hamburg, Germany)

Carolyn Birden, Academics for Mumia Abu-Jamal, Community College of Philadelphia

Randy Christensen, Labor for Mumia

April Rosenblum, Students and Youth to Stop The Execution of Mumia, Temple University, Philadelphia

Galeen Leigh Roe

Matthew Bear-Fowler

L-J Batie, Students Against Violence Philadelphia PA

North Coast Xpress. Doret Kollerer, Editor

Edward Hasbrouck, former federal prisoner

Craig R. Johnson II

B. Allan Ross, usQueers.com, San Diego CA

Jason Crane, Groove Embassy Records



































































































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