MovieChat Forums > In Prison My Whole Life (2008) Discussion > How did Colin Firth end up involved with...

How did Colin Firth end up involved with this??

posted 16 years ago by vermontfudge
4 replies | jump to latest

I've liked Colin Firth as an actor, but of all the causes to get involved in, why this one? How can someone from another country who's not an attorney anyway, understand the US justice system well enough to critique it? For example, all this talk of this guy being subject to the death penalty,but according to Wikipedia, he isn't now and hasn't been for quite a while (he could be if he's resentenced, but he isn't now):

Judge William H. Yohn Jr. of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania upheld the conviction but voided the sentence of death on December 18, 2001, citing irregularities in the original process of sentencing.

Per Wikipedia, that ruling was appealed and

On March 27, 2008, the three-judge panel issued a majority 2–1 opinion upholding Yohn's 2001 opinion but rejecting the bias and Batson claims, with Judge Ambro dissenting on the Batson issue. If the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania chooses not to hold a new hearing, Abu-Jamal will be automatically sentenced to life in prison.[70][71] On July 22, 2008, Abu-Jamal's formal petition seeking reconsideration of the decision by the full Third Circuit panel of 12 judges was denied.[72]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mumia

Also per Wikipedia:

The case went to trial in June 1982 in Philadelphia. Judge Albert F. Sabo initially agreed to Abu-Jamal's request to represent himself, with criminal defense attorney Anthony Jackson acting as his legal advisor. During the first day of the trial this decision was reversed and Jackson was ordered to resume acting as Abu-Jamal's sole advocate by reason of what the judge deemed to be intentionally disruptive actions on Abu-Jamal's part.[26]

So this guy CHOSE TO DEFEND HIMSELF IN A TRIAL THAT COULD HAVE RESULTED IN HIS EXECUTION AND THEN HE DISRUPTED THE TRIAL!!! The Wikipedia article cited above has a link to a partial trial transcript. Per that transcript, IN THIS TRIAL THAT COULD HAVE RESULTED IN HIS EXECUTION, HE KEPT INSISTING THAT HE SHOULD BE REPRESENTED IN COURT BY SOMEONE WHO WAS NOT A LICENSED ATTORNEY!!! That's how he disrupted the trial. Nobody's apparently claiming he's crazy, they are not even saying he's stupid, so why are we supposed to be sorry for him? How wronged was he by the "system" as opposed to what he did to himself, through arrogance or wackieness or whatever in that trial??? The victim and this guy were about the same age, per Wikipedia. 27 years after the victim's death, this guy is still actively pursuing his legal remedies. How on earth is this guy's situation worthy of a big documentary, especially one produced by Colin Firth who seems to support a lot of very worthy causes? This seems very odd. Anybody know how he ended up backing this as opposed to making a documentary about Fair Trade issues or environmetal issues or tribal people being displaced or something that makes more sense?

[–] focusonme79 16 years ago

Because his wife wanted to do it so he used his name and money to back it.

Thanks!
shanna
"Love is a canvas furnished by Nature and embroidered by imagination."
Voltaire

[–] jtheway22 16 years ago

Personally I question the accuracy of Wikipeda and citing it as a reliable source. The following article published a few days ago, for instance, still has it that he is on death-row:

http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2008/10/07/18543242.php

From what has been said about this docu-film, it seems to be focusing on one case and highlighting the injustice of an unfair trial; Colin, his wife and and all those involved with this film have stated several times that it's not something which argues whether the US justice system and the death penalty or right or wrong.

[–] barneysmith22 16 years ago

His death sentence was voided years ago, and the voiding of the death sentence was upheld this year. Wikipedia is correct in that. Wikipedia is at least an unbiased source, whereas the source you cite, Jtheway, is not. It is an extremely radical and pro-Mumia site, and not to be taken seriously as a source of unbiased information concerning Mumia. Don't let your love of Colin Firth blind you to the facts.

As to why Colin Firth became involved....he was apparently supporting a project his wife wanted to do. She has been quoted as saying she met the writer of the documentary at a party, but had never heard of Mumia before then. She listened to the writer's story, and agreed to produce his documentary. Firth himself has said he doesn't know whether or not Mumia is guilty, but he doesn't believe in the death penalty. That, of course, doesn't even now apply to the Mumia case, and hasn't since well before the documentary was filmed.

[–] adkmilkmaid 16 years ago

Excellent response, barneysmith22. Thank you.