The following updates were released by Prison Radio
Mumia was able to call his wife May 18 at 9:30 am. Wadiya Jamal spoke with Mumia for 15 minutes by phone. He remains at the hospital. She reports that he said he “sounded very good.” He was receiving multiple tests. He also said his sores were “fair to middling” which if you know Mumia, it means he is still having a hard time walking and that while they are not oozing they remain very painful. He had a fever over the weekend and was kept at the hospital because of it.
He was not able to use the phone while in the infirmary (before his transfer to the hospital on Tuesday) because his legs were so sore he could not walk to the phone in the day room.
Just to be clear. This call today was one 15min phone call. No visits are being allowed, yet. Also the PA Department of Corrections is blocking Mumia from seeing or talking with his attorneys and anyone else, including his doctor.
Bret Grote, Esq, (Abolitionist Law Center) and co counsel Bob Boyle are going to federal court to challenge this constitutional violation of their clients access to counsel.
Lawsuit filed
On May 18 attorneys for political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal filed a lawsuit in the Middle District of Pennsylvania federal court seeking immediate access to their client, who has been held virtually incommunicado at the Geisinger Medical Center since Tuesday, May 12. Abu-Jamal has been denied all communication with his attorneys since that time.
Bret Grote of the Abolitionist Law Center and Robert Boyle, attorneys for Abu-Jamal, are plaintiffs in the action along with Abu-Jamal. A motion for preliminary injunction and a temporary restraining order was filed with the lawsuit asking that the court issue an order granting Abu-Jamal visitation with his attorneys and wife, Wadiya Jamal.
On Tuesday May 12th in the evening Mumia was taken from the prison infirmary to Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, PA. Since that night he has not been allowed any visits and has been prevented by the hospital and the PA DOC from his constitutionally protected access to the courts and counsel. In addition, his immediate family members have been prevented from visiting him.
This legal action seeks to immediately restore Mr. Abu-Jamal’s constitutional right to access the courts.
Bret Grote notes: “The DOC is once again demonstrating its contempt for human rights and proper health care by holding Mumia Abu-Jamal incommunicado from his family and lawyers. Instead of recognizing the value of family support and legal consultation in protecting and improving his health, the DOC is treating Mumia like a piece of property that it can withhold access to and information about arbitrarily and with impunity.”
According to Abu-Jamal’s attorney, Robert Boyle, The immediate relatives of a prisoner have a right to know the medical status of their loved ones in the case of hospitalization; and all prisoners have a right to communicate with their attorney, especially in case of an emergency. That my client and his family have been deprived of these rights is a constitutional violation.”
Keeping Our Eyes on Munia
Please stay in touch for further updates. Please keep calling. There will be a press conference held at the Geisinger Hospital in Danville PA on Wednesday. If he is transferred back to the Prison SCI Mahanoy in Frackvile, the press conference will likely be there. Look at www.freemumia.com and their facebook page for the latest information on demonstrations. And please keep calling. Also you can check www.prisonradio.org as well.
Clearly Mumia needs an immediate diagnosis, and then a competent treatment plan. Please join us in keeping Mumia alive, and then seeing him free.
p.s. The phone called happened because folks took action and called, faxed and emailed. Thank you.
Urgent Support for Mumia Abu-Jamal: bit.ly/rise4mumia
Call, write, fax continue to keep the pressure on demand freedom & medical care for Mumia:
1) Demand that he has access to his lawyer, his family, and his phsycian.
2) Demand that diagnostic testing be done. And that he be given medically indicated treatment immediately.
3) Demand that he be released from prison.
As one prison radio listener said to us in an email: “It maybe be easier to get Mumia released from prison than get him health care inside prison”. We agree that it is past time for Mumia Abu-Jamal to be released. He has served 33 years, (30 on death row). His conviction needs to be overturned, and he needs to be freed immediately.
Every Action Matters.
Letters, Faxes, Phone calls.
We are asking folks this week to call the hospital and the prison:
Geisinger Hospital : (570) 271-6211 (570) 271-7907 Dannville, PA
Superintendent John Kerestes (570) 773-2158; press Zero, SCI Mahanoy, 301 Morea Road, Frackville, PA 17932
