MIM Notes 193 
September 1, 1999

Rat lie slanders Mumia with another phony confession

The August edition of Vanity Fair magazine has launched a surprise 
attack on the struggle to save the life of Mumia Abu Jamal. The 
article quotes a former prison volunteer reporting on a seven year 
old confession from Mumia. Mumia has termed the allegations "a 
rumor turned lie." The Vanity Fair article was written by Buzz 
Bissinger, who wrote a book about Ed Rendell, the mayor of 
Philadelphia during Mumia's 1982 trial. Bissinger is so close to 
the Philly establishment that Rendell let Bissinger shadow him for 
four years, often passing Bissinger off as an aide at high level 
meetings.(2)

Mumia was framed for the righteous 1981 killing of a Philly cop 
engaged in an act of police brutality. Someone else killed the 
cop, but the Amerikan system of injustice -- backed up by the 
fascist anti-crime fever among a great majority of whites -- 
demands that someone die for the killing of a pig. These fascists 
want to murder Mumia because he is an outspoken leader who 
generates public opinion against the system. His political views, 
including his agreement with Mao Zedong that "power grows out of 
the barrel of a gun" were used as evidence against him in his 
trial and in the imposition of the death penalty.

Mumia is an outspoken advocate and leader of the Black Nation. He 
was a Minister of Information for the Black Panther Party, and 
later a radio journalist. Mumia was hated by the Philly police and 
government for his work exposing police brutality and the 
colonization of the Black Nation within the borders of the United 
Snakes. Years ago, the major of Philadelphia singled Mumia out at 
a press conference for this ominous warning: "Someday you'll pay 
for what you've done."

Philip Bloch was a volunteer with the Pennsylvania Prison Society 
in the early 1990s. He claims he asked Mumia if he regretted 
killing the officer, to which Mumia simply answered "Yes." Bloch 
told no one about this confession until after the April 24 
demonstration in Philadelphia demanding freedom for Mumia offended 
him by its tactics. Bloch is vague about exactly which "tactics" 
by Mumia's supporters offended him so deeply, but he implies that 
strong defense of Mumia's innocence is an insult to the pig's 
widow. This argument deserves little analysis, particularly since 
the widow willingly plays a prominent role in the mainstream 
struggle to execute Mumia.(1)

The Vanity Fair article did not attempt to interview Mumia for his 
response to the allegations. The article does not mention that 
Bloch was kicked out of the Pennsylvania Prison Society for 
violating internal rules regarding confidentiality and other 
reasons.(1)

This is not the first concocted confession used against Mumia. 
First, there were three police officers and then the hospital 
security guard. None of these lies were reported for two months 
despite the incredible importance of the statements. The reason is 
that they were concocted to fulfill the needs of the prosecutor.

Bloch's statement could be used in a new trial against Mumia, 
along with all the other falsifies evidence put together over the 
years. Bloch certainly wouldn't do well as a witness, judging by 
his poor performance answering questions from Mumia's attorney 
Leonard Weinglass on the "Democracy Now" program.

But this "evidence" could also be used by the state to prevent 
Mumia from getting that new trial. While not a particularly 
effective argument, Mumia's attorney Leonard Weinglass expects the 
prosecution to argue that Mumia should not be given a new trial as 
the newest confession would make that new trial even less likely 
to change the initial verdict.(1)

On the "Democracy Now" radio program, Bloch told a convoluted 
story about becoming Mumia's personal friend and then conducting 
research into the case via newspaper microfilm. While still 
Mumia's friend, he determined that Mumia was in fact guilty, hence 
the question about regret. But at a press conference aired on 
"Democracy Now" on August 3, Mumia's supporters revealed a letter 
dated July 17, 1993, in which Bloch told Mumia: "when you get a 
new trial, I think that there is a good chance of acquittal." This 
letter seriously weakens Bloch's chronology.

That this slander came up is a sign of several things. First, that 
the anti-Mumia, pro-state forces are becoming desperate in 
response to the painstaking legal and mass work done by the 
movement. But it's also a testament to the need to intensify the 
struggle to free Mumia Abu Jamal.

Notes:
1. "Democracy Now" 13 July 1999.
2. "Democracy Now" 3 August 1999.