DATE: Wednesday, March 26, 1997             TAG: 9703260429

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B9   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: STAFF REPORT
DATELINE: NORFOLK                           LENGTH:   33 lines

PROTESTERS RALLY FOR DEATH ROW ACTIVIST

About 20 people gathered Tuesday in the courtyard of City Hall to protest the impending execution of Pennsylvania death-row inmate Mumia Abu-Jamal.

Many were members of the newly formed local chapter of the International Concerned Family and Friends of Mumia Abu-Jamal. The group's national director, Pam Africa, also attended.

Abu-Jamal, a radio reporter, cab driver and radical activist, was accused of killing 25-year-old Philadelphia police officer Daniel Faulkner on Dec. 9, 1981. He was convicted and sentenced to death in 1982. He has been on death row since.

His supporters claim the trial was biased and that someone else killed Faulkner. They have staged rallies nationwide to drum up support for Abu-Jamal. His case is pending before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.

Since his conviction, Abu-Jamal has written two books: ``Live From Death Row'' and ``Death Blossoms.''

HBO has produced a documentary on Abu-Jamal, and celebrities Ed Asner, Mike Farrell, Danny Glover, Paul Newman and Whoopi Goldberg have voiced their support. ILLUSTRATION: Photo

MARTIN SMITH-RODDEN/The Virginian-Pilot

About 20 people demonstrated Tuesday at Norfolk City Hall to protest

the impending execution of Pennsylvania death-row inmate Mumia

Abu-Jamal. Andrew Johnson of Virginia Beach holds a sign for

passersby.

Send Suggestions or Comments to webmaster@scholar.lib.vt.edu