Friday, September 28, 2012

World Premiere of Long Distance Revolutionary: A Journey with Mumia Abu-Jamal --An interview with filmmakers Noelle Hanrahan and Steve Vittoria




(Photo of Mumia Abu-Jamal during recent contact visit.)
World Premiere of Long Distance Revolutionary: A Journey with Mumia Abu-Jamal
--An interview with filmmakers Noelle Hanrahan and Steve Vittoria

By Angola 3 News

On October 6, the new documentary film entitled Long Distance Revolutionary: A Journey with Mumia Abu-Jamal, will be making its world premiere at the Mill Valley Film Festival, just north of San Francisco.

Mumia Abu-Jamal is a veteran journalist, author of seven books, and a former Black Panther who was convicted of first-degree murder in the shooting death of white Philadelphia Police Officer Daniel Faulkner in a 1982 trial deemed unfair by Amnesty International and many others. Abu-Jamal, who has always maintained his innocence, spent almost 30 years in solitary confinement on death row in Pennsylvania. The death sentence has now been officially overturned and since early in 2012, Abu-Jamal is out of solitary and in general population at SCI-Mahony, with such new ‘privileges’ as contact visits with family and friends (view photos). 

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Will AB 2530 Unshackle Childbirth in California? --An interview with Tina Reynolds and Vikki Law


UPDATE (Sept. 29): This week AB 2530 was signed into law by CA Governor Jerry Brown and will take effect on Jan 1, 2013 (read more here).

Will AB 2530 Unshackle Childbirth in California?
--An interview with Tina Reynolds and Vikki Law

By Angola 3 News

A bill opposing the shackling of pregnant prisoners, AB 2530has been passed unanimously by the California State Legislature and is now on Governor Jerry Brown’s desk, with thirty days to either approve or veto it. Last year, a previous version of this bill was also passed unanimously by the Legislature, but it was ultimately vetoed by Governor Brown.

With Governor Brown’s decision expected anytime, local activists are urgently mobilizing to stop him from vetoing this important bill once again. AB 2530 supporters have created a webpage for the public (not just California residents) to contact the Governor. Take action here.

Saturday, September 1, 2012

VIDEO: Amnesty International Delivers 67,000 Signature Petition for the Angola 3 at the Louisiana State Capitol on April 17, 2012, Marking 40 Years of Solitary Confinement

Sign Amnesty International's new petition here!


On April 17, 2012, Amnesty International was joined by a delegation of supporters, holding a press conference at the Louisiana State Capitol building in Baton Rouge, LA, and hand delivering to Governor Bobby Jindal's office the petition initiated by Amnesty International demanding the immediate release of the Herman Wallace and Albert Woodfox from solitary confinement.

Governor Jindal refused to meet with the delegation despite several attempts made by Amnesty International to contact him in the weeks leading up to the petition delivery. Jindal ultimately referred the issue to the Department of Public Safety and Corrections. In response, the following month, Amnesty launched a new online petition directed to the Secretary of that department, James M. LeBlanc, still calling for Albert and Herman's immediately release from solitary.