Pennsylvania

Supporters Call for Better Health Care for Cop Killer Mumia Abu-Jamal

Supporters of Mumia Abu-Jamal rallied Tuesday to demand better health care for the convicted cop killer.

Abu-Jamal, a former death row inmate, was rushed to a Pennsylvania hospital late last month to be treated for complications from diabetes.

Abu-Jamal is a former Black Panther serving life in prison for the 1981 murder of white Philadelphia Officer Daniel Faulkner. His conviction was upheld through years of appeals, but he has gained international support for his claim that he's the victim of a racist justice system.

A new photo of Abu-Jamal released Tuesday shows the 60-year-old inmate looking frail with gray hair in his beard.

Tuesday's rally outside of the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office called Abu-Jamal's health care substandard.

Abu-Jamal's wife, brother and lawyers earlier said his blood sugar was dangerously high and he could have slipped into a diabetic coma. His family is complaining that state prison officials failed to provide him with proper medical care. On Tuesday, supporters made similar demands.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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