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October 17, 2014

Pennsylvania Lawmakers Approve Prisoner Censorship After Speech by Mumia Abu-Jamal 
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In a new case of political retribution involving Mumia Abu-Jamal and
constitutional rights, Pennsylvania lawmakers have approved a measure
that critics say tramples free speech. The measure authorizes censoring
the public addresses of prisoners or former offenders should judges
agree that allowing them to speak would cause "mental anguish" to the
victim. The measure was approved after Abu-Jamal delivered a pretaped
commencement address for graduating students at Vermont's Goddard
College earlier this month. Abu-Jamal's speech was opposed by
Pennsylvania state officials as well as the widow of Daniel Faulkner,
the police officer whom Abu-Jamal was convicted of killing. Pennsylvania
Governor Tom Corbett is expected to sign the measure into law. The
American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania has criticized the
measure, calling it "overbroad and vague," and unable to "pass
constitutional muster under the First Amendment."

 

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