Context
Historically, Abu-Jamal references many important events of relevance to the standing of blacks in America. Utilizing numerous references to law and court cases, he relegates the Dred Scott ruling as still relevant; he believes blacks are still far from free denoting Nelson Mandela's plight. He expresses a dislike for William Rehnquist's conservative slant and Sandra Day O'Connor's "Rehnquistian" dissent in Penry v. Lynaugh, allowing the execution of the mentally retarded. He mocks Lewis Powell's dismissal of statistical evidence of racial discrimination in capital sentencing in McCleskey v. Kemp and his dissent in which he states "McCleskey's claim, taken to its logical conclusion, throws into serious question the principles that underlie our entire criminal justice system". He also mentions Harry Blackmun's vote in Gregg v. Georgia that ruled the death penalty constitutional and his later dissent in Callins v. Collins in which he states "from this day forward, I no longer shall tinker with the machinery of death ... I feel morally and intellectually obligated simply to concede that the death penalty experiment has failed".
A former Black Panther, Abu-Jamal recalls some of his past experiences with the organization, his one-time role as bodyguard for Huey P. Newton, whom he regards as a hero, the feuding between the Newton-led west coast and the Eldridge Cleaver-led east coast and, ultimately, its demise. He mentions his protest of a George Wallace rally with three other black teens, their subsequent beatings at the hands of white attendees, and his mistaken appeal for help to a police officer who, instead, kicked him in the face while he was on the ground.
He also frequently references the MOVE organization, its founder John Africa, and the battle of May 13, 1985 which he compares to the raid at Waco. He also mentions the trial of Rodney King, the succeeding riots in Los Angeles, and his belief that the involved officers each had their constitutional right of double jeopardy violated by putting them on trial twice.
Read more about this topic: Live From Death Row
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