Mos Def Speaks Out

Although a jury convicted Jose Padilla, a United States citizen, of supporting terrorism last week, rapper-actor Mos Def thinks that Padilla may not have gotten the due process the criminal justice system promises.

"We all know the history of insufficient evidence of testimony under duress -- at the very least, legal circumstances that demand some sort of reinvestigation, a new consideration for facts, and just the truth -- basically saying these people are not the criminals they're being made out to be," he said.

"[It's] the climate that we live in, people's right and liberties being taken advantage of -- the whole situation with Jose Padilla," Mos said. "Basically the state being able to just charge any individual with anything and prosecute them on the basis of that."

Mos is hoping to draw attention to what he sees as inequities in the United States' criminal justice system with the 10th annual "Black August" benefit concert at the Nokia Theatre in New York City. The concert was organized by the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement to create awareness about people the organization feels have been unfairly convicted.


Source: Associated Press