Mumia Abu-Jamal

Mumia Abu-Jamal (born Wesley Cook on April 24, 1954) is an American activist. He was convicted and sentenced to death for the 1981 murder of police officer Daniel Faulkner in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (U.S.). Before his arrest he was a Black Panther Party activist, taxi driver, and journalist and still continued his efforts in prison. Since the time when he was found guilty, his case has received attention around the world, and he has become a controversial cultural icon. Supporters and opponents disagree on whether it is right for him to receive the death penalty, if he is guilty, or if he received a fair trial. During his imprisonment he has published several books and other commentaries, notably "Live from Death Row". As of 2008, his legal appeals are still unsettled, and he is a prisoner at State Correctional Institution Greene near Waynesburg, Pennsylvania.