Protest Mumia's Torturous Conditions

From the Free Mumia Abu-Jamal Coalition/NYC:

From: info@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

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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@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@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@FreeMumia.com