The U.S. Supreme Court just denied the former Black Panther known as Mumia Abu-Jamal another trial, despite his lawyers’ unfounded cries of racism influencing his 1982 trial in which he was convicted of murdering 25 year-old Philadelphia Police officer Daniel Faulkner..
Last December marked the 27th anniversary of the murder of Philadelphia Police Officer Daniel Faulkner. While the voice of Officer Faulkner has been silent for more than a quarter of a century, his killer is very much alive and his voice is heard quite often. The former Black Panther who goes by the name Mumia Abu-Jamal (born Wesley Cook) gives numerous interviews, delivers college commencement speeches, and even has a street named in in his honor. Despite his conviction and subsequent death sentence, Abu-Jamal continues to thumb his nose at the justice system and con those who seem to possess more sympathy than common sense.
On December 9, 1981, Officer Daniel Faulkner made a routine traffic stop of the car driven by William Cook (Abu-Jamal's brother). Cook exited the vehicle and began to struggle with Officer Faulkner. Abu-Jamal happened to be across the street, witnessing the struggle, he ran over and shot Faulkner in the back. Faulkner returned fire and hit Abu-Jamal in the chest. However, Abu-Jamal then stood over the officer as he lie on the ground and emptied his revolver, shooting him once in the face.
Fellow officers arrived at the scene and saw Officer Faulkner lying in the street in a pool of blood, while Abu-Jamal sat gasping for air on the curb. Officer Daniel Faulkner was taken to a nearby hospital and pronounced dead later that night. Abu-Jamal was taken into custody and charged with Faulkner's murder.
In 1982, Abu-Jamal was convicted of murder and sentenced to death.
Despite the overwhelming facts, Abu-Jamal has maintained his innocence and his lawyers have brought forth dozens of appeals. In 2001, they shopped the case to Federal District Court Judge William Yohn who actually overturned the death sentence. On March 17, 2006 the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania filed an appeal with the U.S. Third Circuit, to reinstate the execution of Abu-Jamal. Gov. Ed Rendell has promised to sign the death warrant.
District Attorney Lynne Abraham has fought doggedly to reinstate the death penalty for Abu-Jamal. She has often characterized his conviction as "the most open-and-shut case" she has ever tried. Abraham has pointed out that despite his claims of innocence, Abu-Jamal "has never produced his own brother, who was present at the time of the murder, yet he has offered up various individuals who would claim that one trial witness or another must have lied; or that some other individual has only recently been discovered who has special knowledge about the murder; or that someone has fallen out of the skies, who is supposedly willing to confess to the murder of Officer Faulkner."
Among the many facts that Abu-Jamal has not been able to explain is how he received the bullet wound in the chest, nor why he was discovered at the murder scene. Despite his obvious guilt, groups such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and the NAACP have continued to support Abu-Jamal for the last 25 years.
Since imprisoned, Abu-Jamal published a book, has been interviewed by Vanity Fair and National Public Radio, and even given commencement speeches via videotape to Evergreen State College, UC Santa Cruz, Antioch College, and Occidental College. He has also received a Bachelor's Degree from Goddard College as well as a Master's Degree from California State University, both courtesy of the taxpayers.
The cop-killer has even won international acclaim. Incredibly, three years ago the city of Paris awarded Abu-Jamal with an honorary citizenship. Fellow Black Panther Angela Davis attended the ceremony and accepted the award on his behalf. In 2006, the French city of Saint-Denis named a street after the murderer.
Fidel Castro and Nelson Mandela have demanded a new trial for Abu-Jamal. While left-wing actors Danny Glover, Ossie Davis, Susan Sarandon, and Ed Asner have joined gangster-rappers Snoop Dogg and Public Enemy in supporting the militant murderer.
In 1994, Maureen Faulkner (Daniel's wife) learned that National Public Radio was planning to air a series of taped monologues by Abu-Jamal. It was at that time that she began her work to educate the public about the circumstances of her husband’s murder, and campaign to reinstate Abu-Jamal's death sentence.
Officer Daniel Faulkner was a five year veteran of the Philadelphia Police Department as well as a U.S. Army veteran. At the time of his murder, Faulkner was attending classes in pursuit of his bachelor's degree as he had hopes of becoming a criminal prosecutor. He left behind his young wife Maureen, the two were married for only a year when he was killed.
When a dedicated police officer is gunned-down by a filthy thug, it is an attack on all law-abiding citizens. When that officer's killer is then allowed to draw breathe for another 25 years, it is disgusting. When the killer is praised by ignorant celebrities, given honors by colleges, and treated by the liberal media as if he possesses sage wisdom, it is abominable.
Mumia Abu-Jamal (Wesley Cook) deserves to die a painful death, one in which he is completely alone and apart from his ill-informed fans.
Please take a moment to remember Officer Daniel Faulkner and the sacrifice he and so many brave men and women have made for the rest of us.
Comments
Thanks Dave.
Great article. I was glad to see an article getting the facts correct.
A few things to note when reading reading the propaganda of Mumia supporters:
1) They claim the prosecution eliminated black jurors. I don't have a problem with this statement as both the State and Mumia eliminated potential jurors who were black. The prosecution did not, however eliminate them BECAUSE they were black. Also, Mumia himself was part of the voir dire and eliminated potential jurors who were black. Was he also part of the conspiracy??? The propaganda also states the jury was "overwhelmingly white." This is a misnomer meant to paint a nasty picture. The original jury was made up of 9 whites and 3 blacks or 25% black. The city at the time of the trial was about 27% black. This jury made up a fair picture of the city in 1981. One juror (black) was dismissed for breaking sequester. This is not the fault of the prosecution. In fact, if the juror had not been dismissed it would have given Mumia yet another point to appeal.
2) Mumia was not allowed to have the lawyer he wanted represent him:
This is an outright lie. Mumia repeatedly demanded John Africa be allowed to represent him at trial. Under the PA rules of the Court a non-attorney cannot represent a client in a capital case (unless you are representing yourself). Judge Sabo went as far as to let John Africa sit behind Mumia and advise him. This was not good enough for Mumia and his continued outbursts and childish disruptions gave the Judge no choice but to remove him at one point in the trial.
3) The Judge did not authorize money for Mumia's defense for experts:
Another out and out lie. If you check the transcripts you will note that Judge Sabo actually told the defense that he would approve advances for experts over and above what was customary. I believe the amount was $16,800 (in 1981 dollars). So the claim that money for experts was not available is a lie. There is not other way to argue that.
Hey Dave, great job in keeping your article unbiased! "Filthy Thug", huh? Not much of a journalist, are you Dave? You are entitled to your opinion though, I'll give you that. But if he's so "open-and-shut" guilty, why not give him another trial? Find him guilty again, and I bet that will shut the nay-sayers up. (Hmmmm... I wonder, is there any potential for DNA analysis here, a thorough journalist would examine that aspect of the case as well, but since you have a hard-on for this man's death, you probably didn't think to research that, or maybe you purposely omitted it.) Also, check your facts before you go on an ill-informed tirade. Umm, Public Enemy are not "Gangster Rappers". And please limit your loaded adjectives... it's not becoming. I admire your sheep-like siding with the police (not to say Faulkner was good or bad, or at fault in anyway, I don't know about that, I wasnt there, just as I assume you weren't there) as if every situation is championed by the always-just officers of the law... let me guess, you must have warrants. ;) Once again, I am not accusing any of the fallen officers in your piece of anything, but you act as if somehow all cops are infallable... At the end of the day, they are people, they are flawed and their lives are not worth any more than anyone else's. Not all walk the straight and narrow, just ask Sean Bell or Oscar Grant. Damn, we can't, they were victims of an over-stepping of authority. But I guess it's only a story when a man bites a dog, huh?
I want to thank the Supreme Court for ending anymore attempts to save Jamal's butt. Now he can rot in peace.
Fry Mumia!!
Nice to see more and more people telling the truth about this piece of trash. "Free Mumia" was all the rage at my college 10 years. Every empty-headed liberal was on the band wagon. It amazes and disgusts me to think how far our civilization has fallen.
Fry Mumia!
Well done.
Just give him to me I can gurantee you he will die like he deserves to die, ALONE, IN AGONY, AND SKINNED ALIVE
God you rabid reactionaries and fascists love to foam at the mouth about Mumia, usually without knowing anything about his case. The Black Panther Party was the target of a massive, murderous campaign by the FBI and local police departments. Mark Clark and Fred Hampton were murdered in cold blood by the Chicago PD as they slept in their beds. L'il Bobby Hutton was gunned down by the Oakland cops after they told him to run. Insofar as the craven assertions of one poster that he'd like to "skin Mumia alive," this reveals the barbarism at the heart of white racism - recall the thousands-strong crowds that flocked to witness, carnival-like, the lynching of black men throughout the South, and even purchased body parts of the dead men. White racists are some sick people.
What a great article! Christian needs to open his/her eyes to recognize there are racists of every stripe...Wesly Cook needs to atone for his crimes against a police officer. Christian's ilk are the self loathing, left leaning, American haters who can never apoligize enough because the evil white man is responsible for all bad things that occur in life. No one else needs to take responsibility. I pray for the officer, his family and for all level headed Americans that justice will prevail and Mr. Cook receives his just punishment... a merciful death.
Christian you resort to cheap name-calling, calling people who disagree with you fascists. Well, that's an old cannard, that won't work anymore. You make it sound like the Black Panther Party is some boy scout troop - you completely ignore the murders and other crimes they committed. There are 22,000 gun laws on the books, partly because of people like them. Black racists are sicker people, starting with Farrakhan, Sharpton, Jessie jackson, Bobby Rush, etc.
Now, go back and dry your eyes Christian. I know your beloved Ted Kennedy is rotting in hell, but don't take it out on us.
This PC liberal feeling sowwy for the criminalcrap has got to stop. The only thing I want to hear about any killer is that he's been executed.
I'm tired of these so called blackmen who blame everything on the other man instead taking resposibility for ones actions. Brother stop crying about in justice and admit to your abuse of the justice system and these liberal brothers & sisters you have following you. Be a man and do your time for killing this policer stop being a coward and blaming it on whitey you know you killed that man . Now stand up and Be A TRUE BRAVE BROTHER AND ADMIT TO YOUR CRIME YOU DISGUSTING ASS COWARD OF A BLACK MAN!!!
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