2 More MOVE Members Denied Parole

(Editor's Note: It appears there was a "Free The MOVE 9" on Saturday. From what I heard it was attended by about 10 people, all of whom were the usual crack-pots. They got no bit of media attention and you can see how effective they are after three decades of protests, their "heroes" are being denied parole. Losers supporting murderers)

By Emilie Lounsberry

Inquirer Staff Writer

Two more MOVE members who have been behind bars since the 1978 shoot-out that killed Philadelphia Police Officer James Ramp have been denied parole, a spokesman for the state parole board said yesterday.

The two - Michael Davis Africa and Edward Goodman Africa - were among nine MOVE members convicted in 1980 of third-degree murder in the shooting death of Ramp and the attempted murders of seven others in the Aug. 8, 1978, confrontation.

The shoot-out occurred as police tried to evict MOVE members from their headquarters at 33d and Pearl Streets in Powelton Village.

All nine had been sentenced to 30 to 100 years in prison, and state parole officials began considering the possibility of parole as defendants neared the 30-year point of the sentence. But prosecutors, police and others registered wide opposition to the prospect of freedom.

Last month, the parole board rejected parole for three MOVE women - Debbie Sims Africa, Janet Hollaway Africa and Jeanene Phillips Africa. Decisions are still pending for Delbert Orr Africa and William Phillips Africa. An eighth defendant, Charles Sims Africa, will be eligible for parole next year; a ninth died in prison.

The 1978 confrontation presaged another disastrous showdown with MOVE - the May 1985 fire that killed 11 MOVE members, including five children, and destroyed 61 houses in West Philadelphia. The 11 were killed after police dropped a bomb on the MOVE headquarters on Osage Avenue and decided to let it burn.