( CNN ) -- Philadelphia prosecutors have dropped their pursuit of the death penalty for Mumia Abu-Jamal , who was convicted of shooting a police officer three decades ago . He will instead serve a life sentence in prison , prosecutors said Wednesday . `` The decision to end this fight was not an easy one to make , '' said District Attorney Seth Williams . `` There has never been a doubt in my mind that Mumia Abu-Jamal shot and killed Officer Faulkner , and I believe the appropriate sentence was handed down in 1982 . '' Abu-Jamal was convicted and sentenced to death for the 1981 killing of Daniel Faulkner . Witnesses testified that Abu-Jamal shot Faulkner in the back and head after the officer pulled over Abu-Jamal 's brother in a late-night traffic stop . Once known as Wesley Cook , Abu-Jamal was wounded in the encounter and later confessed to the killing . He 's been on death row at a state prison in southwest Pennsylvania , where he 's remained an outspoken activist from behind bars -- claiming there were procedural errors during his capital sentencing , and that too few blacks were on the jury . The case has attracted international attention , amid charges of prosecutorial misconduct . Abu-Jamal , a onetime radio reporter and cabdriver , has been a divisive figure , with many prominent supporters arguing that racism pervaded his trial . Others counter that Abu-Jamal is using his race to try to escape responsibility for his actions . They say he has provoked community unrest for years with his writings and advocacy . In April , Abu-Jamal was granted a new sentencing hearing by a federal appeals court , sparking a threat by the prosecutor to appeal the ruling to the Supreme Court . In its 32-page decision , the 3rd U.S . Circuit Court of Appeals accepted defense arguments that the jury instructions at Abu-Jamal 's 1982 murder trial were unclear . The court 's decision did not grant Abu-Jamal a new trial ; his conviction on the murder charge stands . A 2008 appeals court ruling also had nullified Abu-Jamal 's death sentence and granted him a new sentencing hearing . But the Supreme Court tossed out that ruling and ordered the appeals court to revisit the issue . The high court last year denied Abu-Jamal 's separate petition for a new trial .
Mumia Abu-Jamal will serve a life sentence in prison . Abu-Jamal was convicted of shooting a police officer three decades ago . He is serving his sentence at the state penitentiary in Butner, North Carolina, where he has been since being sentenced to death for killing Officer Daniel Faulkner on April 4, 1981.