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Madinat al-Muslimeen Islamic Message Board
| Imam Jamil found guilty!!! |
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| ahmer |
| 03/09/02 at 18:37:26 |
| >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( I AM SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO UPSET AND ANGRY!!! MAY ALLAH BLESS IMAM JAMIL, 'THE LIGHT OF ALLAH WILL NOT BE EXTINGUISHED' ------------------------------------ Ex-Black Panther convicted of murder March 9, 2002 Posted: 5:38 PM EST (2238 GMT) Al-Amin, left, listens to defense attorney Michael Warner during court proceedings. ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- An Atlanta jury found former Black Panther leader Jamil Abdullah Abdullah Al-Amin guilty of murder Saturday in the March 2000 killing of a Fulton County sheriff's deputy. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty against Al-Amin, formerly known as H. Rap Brown. A Fulton County Superior Court jury returned the verdict about 5:30 p.m. after deliberating throughout the day. Al-Amin's lawyers argued their client was innocent and that another man, known only as "Mustafa," did the shooting. They told jurors that Al-Amin's fingerprints were not found on the murder weapon; he was not wounded in the shooting, as one of the deputies said the shooter was; and that the government has been out to get him for several decades. Prosecutors noted in their closing arguments that Al-Amin's attorneys' failed to provide an alibi for their client. They also reminded jurors that ballistics had matched the bullets in the victim to the guns recovered from an area of Alabama where Al-Amin was arrested. Al-Amin ran a small grocery store in Atlanta until March 16, 2000. That day, two Fulton County deputies attempted to serve a warrant for Al-Amin's failure to appear in court on charges of receiving stolen property and impersonating an officer. The deputies exchanged gunfire with a man standing near a black Mercedes Benz, and a spokesman on that day said the deputies might have wounded the man who shot at them. Deputy Ricky Kinchen died the day after being shot. The surviving officer, Aldranon English, identified Al-Amin as the shooter. SWAT teams, helicopters and search dogs joined in a hunt that started with a blood trail. After entering a vacant house where police thought they'd cornered the shooter, they found more signs that the assailant may have been wounded. Four days later, authorities arrested Al-Amin in Lowndes County, Alabama, about 175 miles southwest of Atlanta. He was not wounded. Police also found a rifle and handgun near his arrest location, and tests indicated they were the weapons that wounded Kinchen, a local newspaper reported. Ten days later, they also found a black Mercedes with bullet holes in it. Three months later, an Atlanta fugitive captured in Nevada confessed to killing Kinchen. He later recanted that statement. Converted to Islam in prison Born Hubert Gerold Brown in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Al-Amin went by the name H. Rap Brown during the 1960s and served as chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee. In 1967, he was charged with inciting a riot in Cambridge, Maryland, where he declared to hundreds of African-Americans: "It's time for Cambridge to explode, baby. Black folks built America, and if America don't come around, we're going to burn America down." The next morning, a school and two city blocks burned. He later joined the Black Panther Party, which sought to empower African-Americans and confront and conquer social injustices. At one point he was minister of justice for the Panthers and exhorted African-Americans to arm themselves. "I say violence is necessary," he once famously said. "It is as American as cherry pie." The Black Panther Party collapsed in the late 1970s, brought down by deaths, defections and infighting. Al-Amin converted to Islam while in prison serving five years for his role in a robbery that ended in a shootout with New York police. Al-Amin later moved to Atlanta, opened a grocery in Atlanta's West End and was the spiritual leader of a mosque in the neighborhood. Neighbors credited Al-Amin, whom friends described as a humble and respectful man, for working to clean up drugs and prostitution in the low-income West End. Conspiracy accusations Al-Amin and his followers argued the state's case was bogus and represented the U.S. government's latest attempt to destroy the Muslim cleric. Ed Brown, Al-Amin's brother, said the charges against Al-Amin were "part of a pattern that has gone on for 35 years." "It started with his civil rights efforts, and now it's Islam," Brown said. "Anything that shines a light on the corruption of this government or does not contribute to its process of corruption, they are opposed to." The government has cooked up a case against his brother, destroying evidence, Brown continued. "Both officers said they wounded the perpetrator. It was reported there was a blood trail. They got a search warrant and mobilized the SWAT team based on the blood trail," he said. "But then when they arrested him and he wasn't wounded, they stopped talking about it." Al-Amin's dealings with authorities did not end when he converted to Islam, records show. In 1995, he was accused of aggravated assault, but the victim later recanted and said authorities pressured him to blame Al-Amin. From 1992 to 1997, the FBI staked out Al-Amin, suspecting him of gun-running. The agency generated 44,000 documents, records indicate, but failed to produce an arrest or indictment. "What explanation do they have for watching him?" Ed Brown asked. "They were so obsessed." |
| 03/09/02 at 18:42:28 |
| ahmer |
| Re: Imam Jamil found guilty!!! |
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| ahmer |
| 03/09/02 at 21:00:10 |
| MSA NATIONAL INITIAL STATEMENT ON IMAM JAMIL IMAM JAMIL AL-AMIN FOUND GUILTY BY JURY ON ALL 13 COUNTS FORWARD TO ALL RELEVANT NETS AND MAILING LISTS. Less then 1 day after the defense rests, the Jury returns a guilty verdict, on all 13 charges against Br. Al-Amin. Br. Altaf Hussein is in touch with the National support committee. The next Strategy is still 2 be decided. Most likely there will be a Press Conference in Atlanta with the National Muslim Organizations, on Monday the 11th of March 2002. Br. Altaf asks that everyone continue to make dua for Imam Jamil Al-Amin. I apologize for this message being so short and lacking in details, Br. Altaf is currently on the road and called me up as soon as he found out, and he asked me to forward this out to everyone. [url]http://www.msa-natl.org/IMAM%20JAMIL%20AL.htm[/url] |
| 03/09/02 at 21:56:51 |
| ahmer |
| Re: Imam Jamil found guilty!!! |
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| ahmer |
| 03/09/02 at 21:03:20 |
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful As the death toll on the murder rampage in India approaches 1000 Muslims within the matter of days, we ask "for what crime are their lives so brutally being taken?" As 42 Palestinians were killed on Friday alone, Muslims around the world ask the same question. Today, much to our surprise, Imam Jamil Al Amin was found guilty of 13 charges against him. The Death penalty is being sought. Without going into the details of the case and the fact that the evidence aginst him lacks any validity, we may find only one explanation. When an entire believeing people were thrown into a ditch of fire thousands of years ago by an oppressive ruler, Allah offers this explanation... "And they ill-treated them for no other reason than that they believed in Allah, Exalted in Power, Worthy of all Praise!" And we affirm that the word of Allah is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, and not the testimonies and statements of those who strive to supress us by their lies and false propoganda. InshaAllah there will be various upcoming programs regarding the recent turn of events so keep an eye out to participate in them in any way you can. To name a few, there will be a lecture in Jersey City entitled "Humanity on Trial". This event will take place on March the 23rd and the address will be announced soon. Please make every effort to attend and invite everyone you know. Also there will be a Mass Rally in Atlanta which was anticipated to take place on the 16th of March. Transportation willl be provided from the major cities. Further updates on this event will be provided very soon. Thank You Brothers in Islam |
| Re: Imam Jamil found guilty!!! |
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| ahmer |
| 03/09/02 at 21:52:05 |
| In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MUSLIMS REACT TO IMAM JAMIL AL-AMIN VERDICT Support group says facts did not warrant a guilty verdict (WASHINGTON, D.C., 3/9/2002) - On Monday, March 11, the National Support Committee for Imam Jamil Al-Amin* will hold a news conference in Atlanta, Ga., to offer the American Muslim community's reaction to today's verdict by an Atlanta jury that found Al-Amin guilty of killing one Fulton County sheriff's deputy and wounding another. The news conference will take place at 10 a.m. (EST) in front of Atlanta's Fulton County Courthouse, located at the corner of Martin Luther King and Pryor streets. In a statement issued today, the support committee said: "We do not believe the facts presented in court warranted a guilty verdict against Imam Jamil. His defense team offered credible evidence indicating that he was not the person who shot the deputies. We believe Imam Jamil will be exonerated on appeal. "Because the death penalty has been disproportionately applied to minority defendants in America, we oppose its use in this, or any other trial. "The American Muslim community and its leadership will continua to support the cause of justice in this case and will work to ensure that Imam Jamil is able to exercise all the rights he is entitled to under the law." * The National Support Committee for Imam Jamil: (in alphabetical order) Al-Ummah (Imam Jamil Al-Amin), American Muslim Alliance, American Muslim Foundation, Council on American-Islamic Relations, Islamic Circle of North America, Islamic Society of North America, Muslim Alliance in North America, Muslim American Society, Muslim Public Affairs Council, Students Alliance for Imam Jamil, Women in Islam Justice Committee - END - CONTACT: Mahdi Bray, 202-421-3623 Ibrahim Hooper, 202-489-5108 Ihsan Bagby, 919-349-8602 |
| Re: Imam Jamil found guilty!!! |
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| momineqbal |
| 03/10/02 at 02:21:14 |
| [slm], It really made me sad when I got the CAIR email. We truly are getting tested but inshaAllah we will be successful. One question I have is, how are judges selected for trials in america? I hear some people getting called for jury duty etc. What is that? Can anyone be the judge? I think the standards of justice system are very low in this country. One of my office colleague once went in as a witness on some accident case and he said the lawyers had bribed the judge and the judge just wont listen to his witness and told him he was lieing. Eqbal |
| Re: Imam Jamil found guilty!!! |
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| Dawn |
| 03/10/02 at 04:46:20 |
| [quote author=momineqbal link=board=ummah;num=1015717046;start=0#4 date=03/10/02 at 02:21:14] I hear some people getting called for jury duty etc. What is that? Can anyone be the judge? I think the standards of justice system are very low in this country. One of my office colleague once went in as a witness on some accident case and he said the lawyers had bribed the judge and the judge just wont listen to his witness and told him he was lieing. [/quote] Jury duty is one of those duties that supposedly every American is required to perform in order to help guarantee justice in the court system, giving the defendant a jury of "peers", and helping to ensure against injustice. However, it is really rather random. When I was living in the States, I was called for jury duty several times, but only had to actually show up once, and then wasn't selected. However, I know of others who seem to end up going every three years, and yet others who have yet to get a summons. The method of selection differs by state and county, depending on the type of court you are asked to serve on. There is also more to it than that. The lawyers on each side of the case are allowed to question the potential jurors and exclude people whom they feel will be detrimental to their client's case. From the experience of friends, this has often led to the defense attorney excluding some very educated people, probably because the feeling is that such people can think very clearly and logically, and hence will be less easily swayed by emotional appeals. This hasn't always happened, but it seems to happen frequently --just my experience though. As for the judges, just like everywhere else in society, it seems there are good ones and bad ones, ones that are for sale, and ones that aren't. And most probably wallow somewhere inbetween. That there are good ones out there, I can attest to, through my sister's dealing with family court for the foster children who are in their care. The particular judge who is working with the current case is a very wise and caring individual who truly has the child's best interests in mind. However, I don't doubt that there are judges serving who are unfit to do so. Your colleague has identified such a person. Depending upon the State or County, judges are elected by the people or appointed by the government. They have law degrees and may previously have acted as lawyers. In general, the pay tends to be shabby, compared to what they could make in a law firm, if they were good lawyers. So, as is typical of such jobs, you get a variety of candidates -- some are idealists, trying to make the world a better place, some are power hungry, viewing this as a stepping stone to a better position, some are sitting tight till something better comes along, the rest have other reasons. (I know one of the idealists who in turn knows people in the other categories.) Sadly, wherever there are power and money, there will be people who will be swayed by them, people who will sacrifice the innocent for their own greed. I suppose it is nothing new -- there have been people thwarting justice since the beginning of humankind -- but it still saddens me. :( |
| Re: Imam Jamil found guilty!!! |
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| sofia |
| 03/10/02 at 19:53:54 |
| Assalaamu 'alaikum wa rahmatullah Please make du'aa for for Imam Jamil Al-Amin and all of our other wrongfully incarcerated and/or tortured brothers and sisters. Was at an 'Eid dinner in MD last night when bro. Altaf announced the verdict from earlier in the day. Sooo sad. Even sadder was listening to a tape of adkaar recited by an incarcerated brother in Egypt on the way home. Sadder still was reading the latest Washington Report on Middle East Affairs "Jerusalem Journal" (Reports from Ground Zero, 3/02). :( As a friend put it, quite succinctly: "it doesn't matter in the end." [Deep, but easy for us to say] This world is a prison for the believers. Keep making du'aa, insha'Allah. ------------------------------------------------------------- Bismillah ir-Rehman ir-Raheem ------------------------------------------------------------- IMAM JAMIL TODAY A Newsletter For Justice for Imam Jamil Al-Amin March 9, 2002 Issue 13 http://www.ImamJamil.com -------------- http://www.ImamJamil.com ------------------ Saturday March 9, 2002; Zul-Hijja 24, 1422 AH ------------------------------------------------------------- *** Imam Jamil Al-Amin Convicted A Fulton County jury Saturday convicted Imam Jamil Abdullah Al-Amin of the murder of a sheriff's deputy and the wounding of another nearly two years ago. The trial now moves to a penalty phase, in which jurors will decide whether to recommend execution or life in prison for the 58-year-old Imam Jamil. *** Reactions "We do not believe the facts presented in court warranted a guilty verdict against Imam Jamil. His defense team offered credible evidence indicating that he was not the person who shot the deputies. We believe Imam Jamil will be exonerated on appeal." - The National Support Committee for Imam Jamil "I think that on appeal, he will be vindicated. If he can't win on appeal, then no one in America who has spoken on civil rights is safe." - Lawrence Guyot. *** Disallowed Evidence Judge didn't allow jurors to hear two key 911 tapes <http://www.accessatlanta.com/ajc/metro/alamin/030602.html> *** Support Jamil Al-Amin Donate to support the expenses of his legal defense. Justice is not cheap in this country. Please send all donations to this address: The Justice Fund P. O. Box 93963 Atlanta, GA 30377 These funds are tax deductible. This is the only account which is under Imam Jamil's family's supervision. ************************************************************ Share your thoughts and prayers on our forum http://www.ImamJamil.com/forum ************************************************************ A service of Justice For All An Illinois not for profit 501 (C) 3 organization © 2002 ImamJamil.com. All rights reserved. 730 W. Lake St. #156, Chicago, IL. 60661, USA |
| Re: Imam Jamil found guilty!!! |
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| ahmer |
| 03/11/02 at 09:55:02 |
[slm] this article was written before the verdict..but it still holds true today..! [wlm] ahmer The Trial of Imam Jamil Abdullah Al-Amin Will Muslims in America Pass the Test? By El-Hajj Mauri' Saalakhan * 06/03/2002 There was much about Steve Visser's article in the February 24th edition of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that was bothersome ("King widow angers Kinchen kin"). We can start with the opening paragraph: "The family of slain sheriff's deputy Ricky Kinchen is asking the first lady of the civil rights movement to please butt out of the ongoing trial of his accused killer. On Friday, Coretta Scott King released a statement that seemed to question the fairness of the trial of Jamil Abdullah Al-Amin, a Muslim cleric once known as H. Rap Brown." This a deliberately provocative opening statement in a report that selectively used certain passages of Mrs. King's statement, while assiduously avoiding others. For example, Visser quoted Mrs. King as stating, "I want to express my concern about fairness and justice in the trial of Mr. Jamil Abdullah Al-Amin," as well as her legitimate concern with glaring inconsistencies in the government's case: "All of the inconsistencies that have emerged in this case must be thoroughly explored and fully investigated, and a clear and unequivocal motive must be established for the verdict to have the credibility needed for closure," she said. The selected quotes had the desired effect, as David Kinchen, the older brother of the slain deputy, reacted to the news of Mrs. King's statement in predictable fashion. He reportedly said, "It's clear that her comments were meant to fuel a conspiracy theory, which to my family is insulting. It is almost as if Mrs. King is attempting to influence the outcome of the trial and, as far as my family is concerned, she has no right to do that." What Visser failed to mention in his report - and I can't help but wonder if he also failed to mention this to the family members who he solicited for comment - was that Mrs. King struck a principled and necessary balance between expressing her concern for "fairness and justice" in the trial proceeding, along with empathy for the "pain and suffering" experienced by "the loved ones of the victims." Indeed, she ended her statement with the following words: "This tragedy must not be compounded by a flawed trial or rushed verdict. All care must be taken to insure that justice prevails for the victims, the defendant and the community. If these standards are scrupulously observed and reflected in the outcome, then the healing process can begin." It couldn't have been said better. Aside from disappointment with how her statement was misused, I must admit to being pleased by one paragraph in Visser's report: "The statement from the King Center was handed out Friday by Mauri' Saalakhan, director of The Peace And Justice Foundation, a Maryland based group that has been supporting Al-Amin." Indeed, we have been "supporting" the Imam, and we have no regrets whatsoever. I wish that a host of other Muslim organizations could say the same. One of the questions heard repeatedly by Muslims and non-Muslims over the course of the trial's first week was, "Where are the Muslim organizations?" A legitimate question. From the day of opening arguments to the February 21st initiative (in memory of El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz), not one representative of any major Muslim organization was present and accounted for...and this is shameful! My fear is that the chronic absence of some of our most capable organizations from the frontline of this important struggle, will end up being so damaging to their image and credibility, that leaders of these organizations will end up needing a ladder to look a worm in the eye. I wish that all of the fence sitting ("I wonder if he really did it?") Muslims in America - and particularly, those from our leadership class - could have been in the courtroom for opening arguments. If the jury had been instructed to go back and deliberate immediately following the prosecution and defense's opening arguments, Jamil Abdullah Al-Amin would have been exonerated hands down! It would not have been close. Following opening arguments, the prosecution's first and most important witness, Deputy Aldranon English, was put on the witness stand. His testimony was graphic and very emotional. As can be expected, the broadcast networks repeatedly played selected excerpts of his prosecution testimony. What viewers failed to see and/or hear, however, were the troubling inconsistencies that emerged when Deputy English was cross-examined by lead defense attorney, Jack Martin. And this was the prosecution's "star witness." For the remainder of the week, in the estimation of many, the prosecution's case was all downhill from there. Indeed, there were a couple of occasions when at the completion of a prosecution witness' testimony, observers turned and quietly asked why the prosecution decided to put that particular witness on the stand - because the witness' testimony appeared to help the defense more than the prosecution. These are some of the things that absent Muslims have been missing out on. Among other things, this case provides anyone so inclined with an opportunity to get some good education in the area of American jurisprudence. (Believe it or not, I met a visiting Japanese jurist in the courtroom!) The Prophet Mohamed (saw) is reported to have said: "A Muslim is the brother of a Muslim; he neither fails him, nor does he hold him in contempt." Thus far, in my humble view, we have collectively failed this brother - and by extension, we are collectively failing ourselves. Many of us have talked support. Our organizations have issued statements; our students have written eloquent reports and commentaries; and we have held occasional fund-raisers over the past two years that has amassed a paltry sum (given the numbers and wealth that we have among us). The bottom line is that comparatively few have had the courage and sincerity to put words into deliberate, disciplined action. When one considers the significant number of colleges and students in the city of Atlanta alone, it is absolutely shameful that the MSAs do not have a strong and consistent presence in that particular courtroom. And for this there is absolutely no excuse! It is also a badge of shame that when a group of Muslim leaders recently made a trip to Atlanta, a non-Muslim reporter reportedly challenged their credibility with the question, "Where have you been? What have you done?" What indeed? All is not lost, however...the opportunity is still there. This trial is expected to continue for perhaps another two months or so; and on Monday, March 18, 2002, The Peace And Justice Foundation and the Atlanta-based International Committee To Support Imam Jamil Abdullah Al-Amin, will spearhead part two of a national mobilization: "A Day of Solidarity With Imam Jamil Abdullah Al-Amin." This initiative will be held at the Fulton County Superior Court, 136 Pryor Street in downtown Atlanta, and will begin with a morning press conference, continue with an afternoon rally, and culminate with an evening conference at one of the area universities, insha'Allah. This effort will be a continuation of the highly successful "Day of Solidarity" recently held in Atlanta on February 21st (in memory of El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz). For the March 18th initiative, which will mark the second anniversary of this unfortunate tragedy, we expect to have a number of prominent non-Muslim leaders on hand, which we hope will be surpassed by the number of prominent Muslim leaders on hand. (May Allah help us). A note of caution in my conclusion. Despite how well this trial has been going for the defense, we cannot afford to be overconfident. We must follow the Prophet's admonition, wherein he reportedly said, "Tie your camel and have trust in Allah." We must do everything within our power to achieve the result that we desire; then make dua to Allah (swt) and await His decision. Securing our camel involves more than mere talk. I will end with the words of U.S. political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal: "The struggle for the freedom and liberty of Atlanta Muslim leader Imam Jamil Abdullah Al-Amin must take place now, before the cold fingers of the state can close around his neck....Al-Amin's freedom lies in people who express their support now, instead of later. Fairness does not lie in reversing an unjust conviction; rather it lies in preventing one in the first place." *El-Hajj Mauri Saalakhan is a metropolitan Washington D.C.-based human rights advocate. He serves as Director of Operations for The Peace And Justice Foundation - a Muslim-led, U.S.-based human rights organization. |
| Re: Imam Jamil found guilty!!! |
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| se7en |
| 03/11/02 at 11:09:51 |
| Appearing in court for arraignment on January 19, 2001 in Fulton County Georgia Imam Jamil Al-Amin made the following statement to the court. In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful Praise be to Allah, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the Worlds; Most Gracious, Most Merciful; Master of the Day of Judgement. Thee do we worship, and Thine aid we see. Show us the straight way, the way of those on whom Thou has bestowed Thy Grace, those whose (portion) is not wrath, and who go not astray. (1:1-5Q) Peace be upon those who do good. My name is Imam Jamil Abdullah Al-Amin, the former H. Rap Brown. I am a devoted servant of Allah, and an unwavering devotee to his cause. For more than 30 years, I have been tormented and persecuted by my enemies for reasons of race and belief. I... seek truth over a lie; I seek justice over injustice; I seek righteousness over the rewards of evildoers, and I love Allah more than I love the state. Their intention is to extinguish Allah's Light (By blowing) with their mouths; But Allah will complete (The revelation of) His Light even though the Unbelievers may detest (it). (Qu'ran: LXI:8) On March 16, 2000, Fulton County Sheriff Deputy Ricky Kinchen was killed and Sheriff Aldranon English was shot and injured in the neighborhood where I have lived, worked and prayed. Indeed, this tragedy occurred across the street from the Mosque I founded. I have been accused by the State of Georgia of having committed these crimes. Let me declare before the families of these men, before the state, and anyone who would care to know the truth, that I am [color=black] innocent [/color] of the 13 charges that have been brought against me. Let me also declare that I am joined at the heart with his widow and her children at the loss of a husband and father. I drink from the same bitter cup of sorrow as the siblings at the loss of a beloved brother. I am powerless to do anything to ease your pain and suffering except pray that Allah comforts you in your hour of need and grant you peace for the remainder of your days. I have been maliciously maligned, scandalized and vilified in the press by the police establishment before the court of world opinion even before I was charged with any crime. They have sought to marginalize my humanity and humiliate my family. They have done their level best to reduce me to a one-dimensional monster that is a composite of a Black Panther with a negative connotation, a cop killer, and the fictional character of the Godfather. I am no monster. I am a human being created by Allah and am an instrument of his purpose. I am entitled to every right and every consideration as every other human being including fairness, a fair trial, and the presumption of innocence. Fulton County District Attorney, Paul Howard, as a representative of the state, has asked for my death. Mr. Howard can have my death based on the power of the state, but not on the basis of justice. He can only have my death because my life belongs to Allah and He alone in life and in death will deliver me from my tormentors and persecutors. I will pray for those who despitefully abuse me because of power, prestige, or blind ambition, for they must face the ultimate bar of justice and face the [color=black]Judge of judges[/color] and answer the question, "By what right and whose permission did you ask for death of this human being, and my devoted servant?" Imam Jamil Abdullah Al-Amin |
| NS |
| Re: Imam Jamil found guilty!!! |
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| ahmer |
| 03/12/02 at 00:18:39 |
| [center] [color=blue] STATEMENT OF IMAM JAMIL AFTER THE GUILTY VERDICT "It is still five a day. This decision would pierce the conscious of many people, and let them see the intensity of the struggle. We should raise our level of struggle. Now things are on another level. We should increase and maintain our ibadah. I want to express my heartfelt salaams and appreciation to all the people who have supported me, stood by me and were steadfast in their support of me." Imam Jamil [/color] [/center] |
| Re: Imam Jamil found guilty!!! |
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| Abu_Hamza |
| 03/12/02 at 01:53:58 |
| [slm] It would be nice if someone from msa-natl (Br. Altaf ?) could give a session at both the ez and the cz conferences that are coming up about Imam Jamil, and perhaps raise funds for his trial or call for some sort of action. |
| Re: Imam Jamil found guilty!!! |
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| ahmer |
| 03/12/02 at 09:04:53 |
| [slm] yes akhi.. insha'Allah we have special sessions on current issues in the ez conference. and one of the issues is imam jamil. Br Altaf is going to be there and i guess he is going to do it, or we may invite mauri salaakhan from PJF. i will keep you posted and on a different note, we are also organizing a lecture by el hajj mauri salaakhan on 23rd March in Jersey City. The flyers will be out today insha'Allah and publicity will start today. It's going to be a highly informative lecture from a person who has been the lone figure behind his case, subhan'Allah he is awesome. We had initially planned for this event to be during the trial but..:( I will post the details of the event in the minaret by tonight insha'Allah. ma'salam ahmer |
| Re: Imam Jamil found guilty!!! |
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| sofia |
| 03/12/02 at 13:02:24 |
| Assalaamu 'alaikum wa rahmatullah, 2 things 1) Imam Jamil Al-Amin's mailing address: Imam Jamil, Prisoner Fulton County Jail 901 Rice Street Atlanta, GA 30318 2) Mumia Abu-Jamal's statement on Imam Jamil Free Jamil Al-Amin By Mumia Abu-Jamal The struggle for the freedom and liberty of Atlanta Muslim leader Imam Jamil Abdullah Al-Amin must take place now, before the cold fingers of the state can close around his neck. Imam Jamil has already received what can only be called a biased and prejudicial press, which has sought to depict him as a dangerous, violent radical. In every substantive news report there has been coverage of his brief membership in the Black Panther Party, but there has been little reportage of his other associations, and much less of his life as a Muslim Imam, who worked as an anti-drug activist and for the betterment of the entire community. Imam Jamil's political life didn't begin with the Black Panther Party. Indeed, accounts written by leading Panthers, like Huey P. Newton or Elaine Brown, relate that Jamil, Kwame Ture (the late Stokely Carmichael) and James Forman were "drafted" into the BPP, a "drafting" that was sabotaged by the FBI, and which lasted but a few months. Imam Jamil spent most of his political life as a field director and activist of the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), before his later religious conversion. But if you are the media, which is more "juicy," a six-month-long dalliance with the Black Panthers, or a six-year period with SNCC? Which is more representative of his radical youth? Which is the longest? Which is the most prejudicial? Imam Jamil, in addition to being a spiritual leader, was a businessman, who owned a local store. This is hardly the profile projected by the national press. After his arrest a year ago in connection with the shootings of two Atlanta sheriff's deputies, initial police reports strongly suggested the Imam is innocent of the charges. The surviving deputy told police investigators that his assailant was shot--Al-Amin, upon his apprehension, was not wounded. Another police witness reported that the suspect had grey eyes--Al-Amin's eyes are a dark brown. At the time of this writing, the jury is being selected in a murder trial. This is especially troubling in light of the recent World Trade Center plane-bombings, as it has unleashed a national flurry of hatred against many in the Islamic community. When fear and hatred enter the mind, logic rarely lingers. That said, Al-Amin's freedom lies in people who express their support now, instead of later. Fairness does not lie in reversing an unjust conviction; rather it lies in preventing one in the first place. Imam Jamil has lived a good and rich life in service to his spiritual and ethnic community. He richly deserves the fullest support in all efforts leading to his freedom, so that he may return to the community. Free Imam Jamil! http://www.imamjamil.com/articles/mumiaonjamil.asp |
| NS |
| Re: Imam Jamil found guilty!!! |
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| ahmer |
| 03/14/02 at 12:16:07 |
| Imam Jamil Jurors Weigh Testimony in Sentencing, Supporters Rally WASHINGTON, March 13 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - The speedy conviction of Atlanta Muslim leader Imam Jamil Abdullah al-Amin this weekend - guilty on all 13 counts - is now being followed by the hearing of witnesses to decide on his sentence, as supporters continue to rally behind him. On Tuesday, March 12, jurors heard among others the testimony of a former Black Panther Party member and the father of an NBA star, both of whom spoke to Al-Amin's good character in an attempt to soften the sentence, newspapers reported. Former Black Panther Kathleen Cleaver said that Al-Amin - often remembered by the media today as "former Black Panther militant H. Rap Brown" - spent only four months with the Panthers because of interventions by the Federal Bureau of Investigations, according to a report Tuesday in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Cleaver, a law professor at Emory University, said that Al-Amin was an "upbeat, comical person," according to the article. Another witness described the good work that Al-Amin had done in his community. "He was very instrumental in organizing the West End" of Atlanta, said William Abdur-Rahim, father of Hawks All-Star player Shareef Abdur-Rahim, in an article Tuesday in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "He helped to push drugs out. He helped to push prostitution out." The paper said that Abdur-Rahim, who leads an Islamic leaders' council in Atlanta, says he has known Al-Amin for 18 years and can vouch for his character and good works. Abdur-Rahim's words reflect what most of Al-Amin's supporters have been saying ever since he was arrested in March of 2000 for the murder of a sheriff's deputy. To the American Muslim community, he is known as a gentle man - a far cry from his association with the militant Black Panthers in the 1960s - who has worked hard to clean up his community and spread the message of Islam in a nonviolent manner. Now, after a speedy conviction, his supporters are waiting to see which of the three options under deliberation he will be sentenced with: life without possibility of parole, life with possibility of parole, or death by lethal injection. "I feel that the conviction emanated from bias," said Mauri Saalakhan of the Peace and Justice Foundation, which has campaigned in support of Al-Amin. "There was a bias in the jury pool stemming from the avalanche of negative propaganda that erupted around the case when it first began two years ago." On March 16, 2000, two sheriff's deputies in Fulton County, Georgia, tried to arrest Al-Amin on a warrant issued because of his failure to appear in court; he had been charged with receiving stolen property and impersonating an officer. The deputies were shot; one of them, Ricky Kinchen, died the next day, and the surviving deputy Aldranon English, who was wounded, testified in this trial that Al-Amin shot him and fired on his partner repeatedly, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported. The 58-year old Al-Amin, who wore a white robe and cap in the courtroom, was convicted largely on the deputy's testimony. After 10 hours of deliberation over two days, the jury found Al-Amin guilty on all 13 counts he was charged with, including felony murder, aggravated assault, obstructing a law enforcement officer and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty. Al-Amin was arrested in the woods in Alabama two days after the murder. Authorities said they found the guns that were used in Kinchen's murder near the place where Al-Amin was arrested. On Monday, March 11, family members of Kinchen testified as to the effect of his death on their lives, the Journal-Constitution reported. The deputy's mother, Armagene Brooks, was quoted in the paper as saying, "When Ricky died, a part of me died with him. Sometimes I just sit by the phone and wait for Ricky to call." Al-Amin and his supporters have said the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the prosecution have framed him for the murder, citing his past brushes with the law, which included a conviction in 1967 for inciting a riot during the height of the U.S. civil rights movement, AFP said. Many feel that the trial was unfairly weighted by prejudice because Al-Amin is a Muslim. "Anytime a Muslim is accused of a crime, the specter of terrorism is raised and everyone panics," Saalakhan, who has written extensively on Al-Amin's case said, referring to the work of late lawyer Bill Kunstler, who said that Muslims are now the most hated group in the country. "So this is the atmosphere of America the past several years," added Saalakhan. "This, combined with the way the media has treated the personality of this man… in my view, it tainted the jury." Saalakhan, who sat in the courtroom for the first week of the case and has followed it closely, said that Al-Amin's attorneys have indicated they will file an appeal, but he was not hopeful about that possibility. "Unless something quite unexpected and dramatic happens, he's going to be locked up for a number of years before an appeal is heard, and hopefully justice can be brought about in this case," he said. The Peace and Justice Foundation is holding a rally in solidarity with Al-Amin on Monday, March 18 in Atlanta. Referring to a Hadith (saying) of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) to "tie your camel and have trust in Allah," Saalakhan said that Muslims in America had not done enough to help Al-Amin. "The fact of the matter is that we have not tied our camel with this case," he said. "I feel that Muslims were very negligent with this case." "There is a struggle ahead… It's going to take time, a lot of effort but with faith and determination I believe that we can rectify this unfortunate injustice." With additional reporting by Ayesha Ahmad, IOL Washington correspondent http://www.islamonline.net/English/News/2002-03/14/article30.shtml |
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