WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court Monday let stand the conviction of death row inmate Mumia Abu-Jamal, whose case has drawn widespread attention, for killing a Philadelphia police officer 18 years ago.

The justices without comment or dissent rejected the former black political activist's appeal claiming his constitutional rights were violated when he was not allowed to represent himself at trial and when he was removed from the courtroom.

Abu-Jamal, a former member of the Black Panthers, was convicted in 1982 of murdering Philadelphia police officer Daniel Faulkner in an early morning confrontation on Dec. 9, 1981.

The officer was shot after stopping Abu-Jamal's brother for driving the wrong way down a Philadelphia street. Abu-Jamal was arrested at the scene.

Abu-Jamal, a former radio reporter, has refused to talk about what happened that day but has maintained his innocence.

Abu-Jamal's jailhouse writings about the justice system made him a celebrity around the world. His case attracted the support of death-penalty opponents, foreign political leaders and Hollywood celebrities.

Abu-Jamal's lawyers appealed to the nation's highest court after the Pennsylvania Supreme Court in 1998 refused to grant him a new trial.

They claimed in the appeal that Abu-Jamal was improperly stripped of his right to represent himself by the trial judge's ruling that he had to allow the court or his back-up counsel to conduct the questioning of remaining prospective jurors.

The lawyers said his forced removal from parts of the trial violated his right to self-representation to assist in his defense and to confront the witnesses against him.

But prosecutors replied Abu-Jamal had been properly removed from parts of the trial when he tried to disrupt the proceedings. They said he was not entitled to relief from his own willful misconduct.

Abu-Jamal's lawyers also objected to his absence during a conference in chambers with the judge when a juror was dismissed. He was represented at the conference by his counsel, who agreed to the dismissal.

Prosecutors urged the Supreme Court to deny the appeal, saying the claims lacked merit. They said the evidence overwhelming showed Abu-Jamal was guilty.

It marked the second time Abu-Jamal unsuccessfully sought to have the justices review his case. The Supreme Court last denied his appeal in 1990.