Talking to co-author, with Mumia Abu-Jamal of ‘Murder, Incorporated’
By Ted Kelly posted on April 9, 2021
By Ted Kelly
Stephen Vittoria co-authored “Murder Incorporated Perfecting Tyranny: Book Three (Empire, Genocide, and Manifest Destiny),” with Mumia Abu-Jamal. He also is the director of the 2012 documentary, “Mumia: Long Distance Revolutionary.” Workers World conducted this interview in November 2020 prior to the book’s release.
Workers World: When did you first hear about the frame-up of Mumia Abu-Jamal?
Mumia Abu-Jamal, left, with Stephen Vittoria
Stephen Vittoria: In 1981, I was living and working in Los Angeles and was completely unaware of Mumia’s case. In many ways I feel like I was there and actually lived it, because of all the unofficial research I did in the mid-1990s, and then because of all the heavy duty “official” research I did when making the documentary “Mumia: Long Distance Revolutionary.” Your mind plays games with you, like �
Philadelphia
The Philadelphia Fraternal Order of Police have done everything possible to silence Mumia Abu-Jamal and bury his fight for justice. In February their obstruction even included filing a “King’s Bench” petition – which sidesteps and preempts all other judicial or appeal procedures – to attempt a change in venue for his appeals hearing.
Pam Africa speaking at Dec. 9 press conference to ‘Free Mumia Now!’ Credit: Joe Piette
But Abu-Jamal’s global supporters, insisting on his innocence and demanding his immediate release, have other ideas.
Twice recently, a broad coalition of U.S. and international groups and individuals has succeeded in gaining major media coverage for the former Black Panther and journalist, who is Pennsylvania’s best-known political prisoner. On Nov. 16, former football star and Black Lives Matter activist Colin Kaepernick issued a statement in support of Abu-Jamal. This aired during a virtual pres