Mumia Abu-jamal Thread

I'm not sure if any of you have heard of this.

The Case
of Mumia Abu Jamal

by Terry Bisson
from New York Newsday, 1995

In 1978, Philadelphia Mayor (and ex-police chief) Frank Rizzo blew up at a press conference, threatening what he called "the new breed" of journalists. "They [the people] believe what you write and what you say," said Rizzo, "and it's got to stop. One day—and I hope it's in my career—you're going to have to be held responsible and accountable for what you do."

What the "new breed" was doing in 1978, and is still doing today, was exposing police misconduct. A cop had been killed in a confrontation between Philadelphia police and the radical MOVE organization (the same MOVE that was fire-bombed by the city seven years later), and the police version of who shot first hadn't been accepted without question. Rizzo feared a new trend, and he was right.

The trend has continued. Today, the Mollen Commission, the NYPD "party"in DC, the Rodney King case and hundreds of other local scandals have exposed the dark underside of police misconduct nationwide. Ironically, the most prominent of the "new breed" of journalists at whom Rizzo's outburst was directed is awaiting execution on Pennsylvania's Death Row, the victim--many believe--of a police frame-up.

Mumia Abu-Jamal began his journalism career with the Black Panther Party. The Panthers were the original “affirmative action” employer, and Mumia (then Wesley Cook) was Minister of Information for the Philadelphia chapter at age 15, writing for the national newspaper. A heady beginning for a West Philly kid. After the Panthers fell apart (helped by a stiff dose of FBI harassment) Mumia turned to broadcasting. He had the voice, the writing talent and the ambition, and by age 25, he was one of the top names in local radio, interviewing such luminaries as Jesse Jackson and the Pointer Sisters and winning a Peabody Award for his coverage of the Pope's visit. He was president of the Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists, called “one to watch” by Philadelphia magazine.

But Mumia was still a radical. The Philadelphia Inquirer called him “an eloquent activist not afraid to raise his voice,” and this fearlessness was to be his undoing. His vocal support of MOVE's uncompromising life-style lost him jobs at Black stations, and he was forced to moonlight to support his family. The mayor's outburst marked the beginning of a campaign of police harassment that included such subtleties as a cocked finger and a 'bang bang' from a smirking cop, and escalated to a late-night police beating of Mumia's brother on the street.

Mumia was driving a cab that night. It is undisputed that he intervened. It is undisputed that both he and officer Daniel Faulkner were shot, and that Faulkner died. What is in dispute is who killed Faulkner. Mumia says it was someone else, and several witnesses saw another shooter flee the scene. Mumia's legally registered .38 was never decisively linked to Faulkner's wounds.

Mumia's murder trial was a policeman's dream. Denied the right to represent himself, he was defended by a reluctant incompetent who was later disbarred (and who has since filed an affadavit in Mumia's support detailing his delinquencies). Mumia was prosecuted by a DA who was later reprimanded for withholding evidence in another trial. He was allowed only $150 to interview witnesses.

But best of all was the judge. A life member of the Fraternal Order of Police, branded as a "defendant's nightmare" by the Philadelphia Inquirer, Judge Albert F. Sabo has sentenced more men to die (31 to date, only two of them white) than any other sitting judge in America. A fellow judge once called his courtroom a "vacation for prosecutors" because of bias toward convictions.

Sabo wouldn't allow Mumia to defend himself because his dreadlocks made jurors "nervous." Kept in a holding cell, he read about his own trial in the newspapers. A Black juror was removed for violating sequestration, while a white juror was given an court escort to take a civil service exam; in the end all the Black jurors but one were removed. A policeman who filed two conflicting reports was never subpoenaed (he was "on vacation"). Mumia's Black Panther history was waved like a bloody flag: Had he said, "All power to the people?" Yes, he admitted, he had said that. Character witnesses like poet Sonia Sanchez were cross-examined about their "anti-police" writings and associations.

Thus with Judge Sabo's help, an award-winning radical journalist with no criminal record was portrayed as a police assassin lying in wait since age 15. After Mumia's conviction, Sabo instructed the jury: "You are not being asked to kill anybody" by imposing the death penalty, since the defendant will get "appeal after appeal after appeal." Such instruction, grounds for reversal since Caldwell vs. Mississippi, was allowed in Mumia's case.

Mumia's appeals have so far gone unanswered. After being on Death Row for thirteen years, he is now the target of a police-led smear campaign. Last year NPR's "All Things Considered" canceled a scheduled series of his commentaries after the Fraternal Order of Police objected. Mumia's book, LIVE FROM DEATH ROW, has been greeted with a boycott and a skywriter circling the publisher's Boston offices: "Addison-Wesley Supports Cop Killers" Officer Faulkner's widow has gone on TV claiming that Mumia smiled at her when her husband's bloody shirt was shown--even though the record shows that Mumia wasn't in the courtroom that day.

Mumia and his supporters want only one thing--a new trial, with an unbiased judge and a competent lawyer. Defense attorney Leonard Weinglass has entered a motion to have Judge Sabo removed from the case because he cannot provide even the "appearance of fairness." The struggle became a race against time last month, when Pennsylvania Governor Ridge, though fully aware of the many questions in the case, signed a death warrant scheduling Mumia for execution August 17.

Mumia Abu-Jamal was not surprised. Several of the essays in his book deal with America's frantic "march toward the death chamber." As he wrote several years ago in the Yale Law Journal, "states that have not slain in a generation now ready their machinery: generators whine, poison liquids are mixed, and gases are measured and readied."

Unless Mumia Abu Jamal's final petition is answered, and he gets the fair trial he deserves, America will see its the first explicitly political execution since the Rosenbergs were put to death in 1953. Frank Rizzo's angry threat will be fulfilled, for one "new breed" journalist at least. It will stop. We won't hear any more criticism of the police from Mumia Abu-Jamal. Forever.

this dissapoints me so much. I hate these bigoted communists who repress us

or you can read some biased infomation but all info thats come out while in court under oath

Cop Killer: How Mumia Abu-Jamal Conned Millions Into Believing He Was Framed is an Accuracy in Academia monograph that I’ve just published. The release of the monograph coincides with Monday’s ruling against Abu-Jamal by the U.S. Supreme Court that makes the signing of his death warrant imminent (although a separate appeal in federal court is expected). Accuracy in Academia will be distributing tens-of-thousands of copies of Cop Killer to students on campuses where the case has become “the issue.” Although the 38-page booklet contains more than 100 citations, don’t look for it to be used in any of the many campus “teach-ins” devoted to the subject or to be required reading in classes devoted to promoting Mr. Abu-Jamal. This is because it dares to suggest that the police got the right man. The booklet debunks claims that Abu-Jamal is a political prisoner like Nelson Mandela, painting the death row inmate as a wannabe O.J. Simpson—one who seeks to avoid punishment for a crime he did commit. A wealth of evidence points to his guilt:

* Five eyewitnesses implicated Abu-Jamal as the killer. His legally-registered gun was found at the scene with five spent shells in the chamber—shells that matched the bullet retrieved from the slain officer’s brain. Abu-Jamal was found wearing a holster. A return round from the policeman’s revolver was embedded in Abu-Jamal’s chest. When police arrived Abu-Jamal lunged for his gun. To this day Abu-Jamal and his brother, both witnesses to the crime, remain curiously silent on what happened.

* Numerous people report that they heard him confess—including an anti-death penalty activist sympathetic to his cause. “I shot the mother-f***** and I hope the mother-f***** dies,” three witnesses say he bragged. “I’m glad. If you let me go, I’ll kill all of you cops,” he screamed at a local hospital.

Despite the evidence, Abu-Jamal counts scores of VIPs among supporters. Paul Newman, Susan Sarandon, Whoopi Goldberg, and Oliver Stone have fought for his conviction to be thrown out. Multi-platinum music acts The Beastie Boys, Rage Against the Machine, and Public Enemy raise money for his defense. France’s Jacques Chirac and South Africa’s Nelson Mandela demand his release. Abu-Jamal’s books can be read in at least eight languages. His radio commentaries air nationally. He’s even delivered a college commencement address via a videotaped jailhouse monologue.

Since Abu-Jamal’s conviction, his defense team has put forth evidence and witnesses that, despite fueling the fervor of gullible supporters, have brought further discredit upon their cause in the eyes of mainstream observers.

NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD On appeal, two defense witnesses testified to the dead acting in supernatural ways. William Singletary, who initially denied seeing anything, came forward years later and said a different man shot the policeman twice and when Abu-Jamal later tried to help the incapacitated officer, the officer raised his gun and shot him—a medical impossibility given that the cop was for all intents and purposes already dead. He also claimed that a Philadelphia Police helicopter circled overhead (none existed), that Abu-Jamal wore “a safari suit like the Arabs wear” that escaped everyone else’s notice, and that the policeman spoke after having been shot between the eyes. In 1997, Pamela Jenkins took the stand, claiming that a key prosecution eyewitness, Cynthia White, had recanted her entire testimony to her and outlined a police plot to frame Abu-Jamal. White, however, had died more than four years prior to the time when these conversations were supposed to have taken place. This inconvenient fact hasn’t stopped activists from claiming that prosecution witness White is still alive and that the states of New Jersey and Pennsylvania worked together to fake her death!

IN PURSUIT OF THE REAL KILLERS A core tenet of the conspiracy theory is that several eyewitnesses saw “the real killers” flee the scene. Unfortunately for the defense, the accounts of these witnesses do not mesh with their story. One testified that Mumia Abu-Jamal was the killer and that he was the only person who attempted to escape the area. Another was angered by the defense’s efforts to intimate that she saw the “killers” flee when she told police that she saw people running about the scene long after the shooting had taken place. “No, I think the runner was part of the whole flow of the situation. There was a man killed. There’s panic. Someone was running, maybe two people are running, maybe three people are running, you know. There’s police, there’s news crews, etc.” Another of these defense “witnesses” failed a lie detector test.

DID MUMIA’S GUN FIRE THE BULLETS? An article of faith among “Mumiacs” is the idea that the bullet that killed Officer Faulkner was a .44 caliber round, not matching Abu-Jamal’s .38 caliber revolver. Spent shells found in Abu-Jamal’s gun were all .38 Caliber “Plus P” ammunition, the same type of special high-pressure bullet that blew apart the officer’s face and was discovered in his brain. Ballistics tests on this retrieved bullet reported rifling groves that were consistent with the chamber of the gun found beside the suspect, a gun purchased by and registered to Mumia Abu-Jamal. Even Abu-Jamal’s own ballistics analyst conceded under oath that the bullet was not a .44 caliber round.

To believe the story of innocence one has to buy into a conspiracy involving hundreds of people. One has to accept that the states of Pennsylvania and New Jersey acted in collusion to fake the death of a woman to keep her from testifying in favor of Abu-Jamal. Believing the story of a frame-up is to think that the police planted crucial evidence at the scene, including a murder weapon registered to Abu-Jamal. Accepting the defense’s version means that Officer Faulkner shot Abu-Jamal for no reason, that numerous eyewitnesses were coerced into lying, that blacks on the jury were tricked by the racist scheme, and that Abu-Jamal’s silence on this case—but apparently on nothing else—is just noble stoicism.

Such a wild scenario might make for an entertaining fantasy. For those grounded in reality, there is no escaping the fact that Mumia Abu-Jamal, an intelligent and articulate man, is also a guilty man

Edited by: embers.

haha i love a good conspiracy ... then again the evidance against him does seem a little strong for a conspiracy to ever occur but i guess anyone slightly famous charged with an account of murder will always bring contraversy with them.

Yup, there is plenty of trouble going around with fair jurisdiction in today's court systems. They're trying their best to make sure everyone gets a fair trial, although it seems more innocents than guilty people are getting the death penalty. A guy in New York joined Saddam Hussein's defense team. Although that sounds pretty ludicrous, someone has to make sure that Saddam's trial is done correctly, and I guess he was up for the task, although it's hard to tell what'll happen to his practice once he's done...

Yeah, I have a bumper sticker that says Free Mumia. I heard about his case a few years ago when I really got into Rage Against The Machine (they have a few songs dedicated to his cause, most notably "Voice of the Voiceless", with the infamous line "And Orwell's Hell, a terror era coming through; but this little brother is watching you too" that was part of my sig for quite some time).

I'm outraged at the system as many of you are, but couldn't help but notice SilentShadow referring to our system as communist. I agree that the system is fuxored, but its actually at the opposite end of communism. It's a corrupt capitalism (the antonym of communism). If anything, Mumia Abu Jamal was ushering in socialism, what I would personally call a virtue.

but communism has never existed and never will so no communism is not the opposite to democrarcy

russian communism was semi-campitalist
chinese communism is just a capitalist dictatorship

and did anyone read what i posted THEY FOUND MUMIAS LEGALLY REGISTERED BULLETS IN THE GUYS HEAD

I think it's just racism.

embers. wrote: but communism has never existed and never will so no communism is not the opposite to democrarcy

russian communism was semi-campitalist
chinese communism is just a capitalist dictatorship

and did anyone read what i posted THEY FOUND MUMIAS LEGALLY REGISTERED BULLETS IN THE GUYS HEAD

Is there any proof to back up that statement?

Russian Communism was a corrupt socialism, and I don't know enough about Chinese Communism to talk about it. It's true that pure socialism has never existed though, because people aren't perfect. I personally would like to see a nation attempt a socialism made up of very closeknit communes (i.e. under 10 people).. That would encourage people to not be lazy unlike in larger communes.

Back to the case, you are right Jimi. It was pure prejudice racism.

They're gonna lynch him!
Its not fair.

My biggest problem with this is the fact the article immediately shows it's bias mentioning the Rodney King case which while the police were a bit out of line, he was high on PCP and shouting "FUCK YOU PIGS!!!"

Now anyone with a small understanding of the drug has heard plenty of story about people high on PCP breaking an ankle and being shot in the leg still runnning for several miles on the same leg and ankle for several miles.

So to even bring up this case in the way they did makes me doubt the overall credability of the article.

"Numerous people report that they heard him confess—including an anti-death penalty activist sympathetic to his cause. “I shot the mother-f***** and I hope the mother-f***** dies,” three witnesses say he bragged. “I’m glad. If you let me go, I’ll kill all of you cops,” he screamed at a local hospital."

"DID MUMIA’S GUN FIRE THE BULLETS? An article of faith among “Mumiacs” is the idea that the bullet that killed Officer Faulkner was a .44 caliber round, not matching Abu-Jamal’s .38 caliber revolver. Spent shells found in Abu-Jamal’s gun were all .38 Caliber “Plus P” ammunition, the same type of special high-pressure bullet that blew apart the officer’s face and was discovered in his brain. Ballistics tests on this retrieved bullet reported rifling groves that were consistent with the chamber of the gun found beside the suspect, a gun purchased by and registered to Mumia Abu-Jamal. Even Abu-Jamal’s own ballistics analyst conceded under oath that the bullet was not a .44 caliber round."

there is a repeat of what i already posted if u had bothered to read it. thats my proof. Jimi thats why hes still alive after 20 yrs on death row because all people claim its cuz he's arab but they can't kill him while all this petitioning is going on. I'd stick him in prison and let him get raped everyday for the rest of his life but seeing as its the states just kill the fucker.

Embers, I suggest you research this case more carefully before making such bold and unfounded claims. The internet is a huge place, and like any other huge forum (in the original sense of the word), there is plenty of BS going around. Please post your source, just as any responsible, intelligent individual might do to better back up their allegations.

Here are a few sources to check out, that, for the most part, indicate a notion contrary to yours, ranging from widely accepted as to be respectable, to less known ones:

If you look carefully, you may indeed find some quotations supporting your stance on this case, so be sure to read through everything, if you wish to garner any respect among the more intelligible forum visitors.

Regardless of wether he was guilty or not, it is a lie to refute that he was not granted a fair trial, a "constitutionally protected right". Any judge that states "Yeah, and I'm going to help'em fry the n----r." during such a politically motivated trial cannot be relied upon to give a fair verdict.