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Stop Tennessee from executing Abu Ali

By Abu Ali Clemency Team (Contact)

To be delivered to: Governor Bill Haslam


Dear Governor Haslam,

We, the undersigned, ask you to please grant clemency to Abu Ali Abdur'Rahman. No court has ever ruled that Abu Ali received a fair trial. In fact, his own defense counsel admits his inadequacy in this case and has since surrendered his law license. Eight of the twelve jurors now say that they would not have sentenced Abu Ali to death had they been presented with all of the evidence. Abu Ali has a history of severe abuse and mental illness and should not be executed by the State of Tennessee.

Abu Ali has been denied his final appeal by the U.S. Supreme Court and now faces execution, even though no court has ever stated that he received a fair trial. Lionell Barrett, Abu Ali's defense counsel, and one of the most prominent criminal defense lawyers in Tennessee's history, has said, "Abu Ali is on death row because of me. I failed him."

The prosecutor lied to Abu Ali's attorney when he stated that a previous conviction of Abu Ali resulted from "a turf war in prison between two gangs as to who would control the drug trade in the prison." In fact, the previous conviction resulted from Abu Ali being victimized by sexual predators.

Mitigating evidence that was not presented to the trial jury includes Abu Ali's lifelong abuse by others which has resulted in his suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

Abu Ali was wearing a wool black coat at the time of the murder. Even though copious quantities of blood were splattered in the vicinity of the victim, no blood was found on Abu Ali's coat by the TBI crime lab.

Abu Ali has an impeccable prison record, has pursued educational opportunities, and has excelled in leadership of other prisoners. The only hope for Abu Ali's life to be saved is for Governor Haslam to commute his death sentence.

To learn more about Abu Ali and his case, please visit www.abu-ali.org.