In Prison My Whole Life at the Karibu Education Centre, Brixton

A screening of Marc Evans' film on Tuesday 20th July at 7pm at the Karibu Education Centre in Brixton.

William Francome is a fairly typical white middle-class guy. Typical except for the fact that he is about to embark on a journey into the dark heart of the American judicial system; the tangled world of renowned Death Row prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal. The connection between these two characters is a simple one, and the pretext for this film, as Will explains:

"I was born in London on December 9th 1981. Over 3000 miles away Mumia Abu-Jamal, a Black Panther and radical journalist, was arrested for the murder of a police officer in Philadelphia."

Will is now 28. Mumia is still in prison, awaiting execution. Despite his situation, and against all odds, Mumia has managed to penetrate the consciousness of people like Will. Through his writings and his web and radio broadcasts from Death Row, he has become known to many as "the Voice of the Voiceless".

In Prison My Whole Life takes us to some surprising places and brings us into contact with some of America's most original minds. Never-seen-before footage and brand new evidence create a prevailing case for reasonable doubt while exploring the socio-political climate of America, past and present. Angela Davis, Mos Def, Noam Chomsky, Alice Walker, Snoop Dogg, Steve Earle, Amy Goodman and many others take us through a decades-old struggle for equality, fairness and respect that so many Americans strive for to this day.

Mumia's cause has created a political storm but after the politicians have said their piece, after the court papers have been filed and the protesters have gone home, we are left with a film about a man, a father, a son, an inspiration and a pariah - who faces his twenty-fifth year on Death Row.

Extraordinary though Mumia's story is, he is only one of 3,350 people currently on death row in the United States. This film allows him not only to speak to us, but also on behalf of those others who cannot find a voice.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

Listings Information:

Venue: The Karibu Education Centre
Address: 7 Gresham Road, Brixton, London SW9 7PH
Date: Tuesday 20th July 2010
Time: 7pm
Price: £3 on the door

Reprieve

Reprieve is a legal action charity founded by Clive Stafford Smith in 1999. Reprieve uses the law to enforce the human rights of prisoners, from death row to Guantánamo Bay. We investigate, litigate and educate. Working on the frontline, we provide legal support to prisoners unable to pay for it themselves, promoting the rule of law around the world, and securing each person’s right to a fair trial. In doing so, we save lives.

Reprieve’s current casework involves:

• Representing prisoners in the US prison at Guantanamo Bay.

• Working on behalf of prisoners facing the death penalty.

• Conducting ongoing investigations into the rendition and the secret detention of ‘ghost prisoners’ in the so-called ‘war on terror’.