Philadelphia DA drops death penalty for cop killer Mumia Abu-Jamal

(CBS/AP) PHILADELPHIA - The Philadelphia district attorney says his office will no longer pursue the death penalty against Mumia Abu-Jamal, convicted of fatally shooting police officer Daniel Faulkner 30 years go this Friday. 

The former Black Panther was convicted of killing the white police officer in 1981. He was originally sentenced to death, but then a federal appeals court ordered a new sentencing hearing after deciding the jury instructions may have been misleading.

CBS Philly reports late Tuesday a federal judge ordered the state to either conduct a new sentencing hearing and seek the death penalty again, or sentence Abu-Jamal to life in prison, all within 180 days.

Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams announced the decision with Faulkner's widow standing by his side. He said while he believes the jury handed down an appropriate sentence in 1982, continuing to seek the death penalty would only serve to open the case to years of appeals. He said there were financial and legal considerations, and most importantly, the impact on his family.

Williams says Abu-Jamal would instead "remain behind bars for the rest of his life."

Maureen Faulkner was 25 when her husband was murdered. She says she has suffered through 30 years of "unimaginable physical, emotional and financial hell."  She added, "The time remaining before Abu-Jamal stands before his ultimate judge...it doesn't seem quite so far off as it once did when I was younger. I look forward to that day so I can finally close the book on this chapter of my life."

Judith Ritter, who represented Abu-Jamal in recent appeals, commended the district attorney's decision, saying "justice is served when a death sentence from a misinformed jury is overturned."