From The E-ThePeople Discussion on Mumia Abu-Jamal

What I wrote on July 12th, 1999 at 4:03pm :
It may be easy for the author of this petition to say that he was convicted, but Mumia did NOT recieve a fair trial. Which is garunteed to him by the constitution of the United States of America. Show me the proof that he killed the officer, and I'll show you why he didn't. All but 1 witness has said that they were either bribed or forced by the police to lie. Mr. Abu-Jamal was a writer who exposed police corruption. Do you think it is a coincidence that he just happens to be framed for the murder of a police officer? I mean it is a little shadey, don't you think? Most people aren't fighting to free Mumia, just get him a new trial, a fair one. So b4 anyone signs this I hope they actually look at the facts instead of making a snap decision.


Written by C-4 on 7/12/99 @ 4:58pm :
it's over. If he didn't do it I'm sure he's getting it for many other crimes. You will always reap what you sow. His harvest finally came in.


My response on 7/15/99 at 7:05pm :
excuse me, but is it right for a man to be watched by the FBI since the age of 15, even though he has no criminal record? Of course that excludes his current incarceration. He spoke out for what he believed in, and it is sick that you can be so close minded. His trial was totally unfair, and then when they petitioned for a new trial, they had the same judge from the previous trial that was under question, how can you say that was fair. It wasn't. There are so many other things in the trial that were shadey, and supporters of him are just asking for a fair trial.



Judy's response to my 1st letter on 7/12/99 at 7:34pm :
I have followed the story, maybe a little closer than you, because I live an hour away from Philadelphia. Everything I have seen has convinced me he shot that police officer. Just last night a news story was on TV that told of a supporter of Mumia's who visited him in Huntingdon prison. This man asked him if he regretted shooting the officer, and Mumia said yes. This supporter no longer supports Mumia. So tell us all how he did not do it. I welcome your challenge.


My response on 7/15/99 at 7:41pm :
Comment Mr. Jamal was a radio journalist and repeatedly exposed police misconduct. He was also threatened by then Mayor Rizzo. Mayor Rizzo also threatened many other journalists who spoke out over the air waves about what was going on. Mumia had no criminal record prior to this, including in his days when he was a black panther, but he had an enourmous FBI file that was started when he was merely 15. His trial in 1982 was a travesty. He was denied the funds neccessary to hire expert witnesses. Hi court appointed attorney did not interview a single witness b4 he put them on the stand. He was denied the right to represent himself, then he was barred from attending his own trial when he continued to protest these outrageous acts. Important evidence was with held from the defense by the police and prosecution, witnesses were induced to change their testimony, and the state used itz premptory challenges to knock off prospective jurors on the basis of race. Then when they said he confessed to shooting officer Daniel Faulkner, police reports and the ER doctors that examined Jamal said Jamal made no statements. Jamal was also shot by Officer Faulkner and beaten by other police officers that arrived on the scene. 2 months later when Mr. Jamal filed police brutality charges the officers suddenly remembered that he had confessed, but as I have already stated, documents filed by the police themselves, and the ER doctors have already stated that he did not say anything. Then when he was finally granted a hearing on whether his old trial was fair or not, the judge conducting this hearing was the same judge who had presided over the previous trial! When they appealed to the Pennslyvania Supreme Courts 5 out of the 7 justices were supported by the Faternal order of police in their electoral campaigns for that seat. They had also bragged about recieving many awards from various police organizations. Now I hope what I have presented has shown you what actually goes on in our legal system. I hope you will join me and others for the right to a fair trial for Mumia. Remember, it is beyond a resonable doubt, and I have a big resonable doubt...



This was written in response to my original letter by Pat Mason Jr. on 7/13/99 at 4:45am :
The standard Mumia "defense," which you state almost as an act of faith, is easily shown to be baseless. To assert he "did not receive a fair trial" simply ignores the court-room evidence. The "proof" of his guilt is plethoric. "Show me the proof"? All right. How do you explain the fact that all five slugs pulled from Officer Faulkner's body came from a .38 cal. pistol owned by Jamal and found next to Jamal at the crime scene? How do you explain the fact that Jamal's own brother, William Cook, has NEVER denied the guilt of Jamal? How do you explain the fact that no credible witness has ever claimed to see anyone other than Jamal kill Officer Faulkner, or that Jamal's star witness, Robert Chobert, fingered Jamal as the killer - several times - and has never recanted? I anxiously await your response.


My response on 7/15/99 at 8:02pm :
I do refer you to my earlier response to "no snap decision" which is entitled "mine wasn't snap either..." I have written many many facts in there. Have you ever read anything that Mumia himself has written? He has always proclaimed his innocence. I personally believe he is innocent but that is not what I am asking, I am asking for a FAIR trial (see the reasons it wasn't fair in my other response). Onto the telling you about the gun. From the facts I have gathered he has reported that gun stolen weeks prior to when Officer Faulkner was shot. The reason it could have been laying next to his body was b/c Mr. Jamal was severely beaten at the scene. He was also shot by Officer Faulkner. Now, I have a different theory about the gun myself. Of course this is my personal theory. I believe that Mumia had his gun with him when he was in the cab and saw Officer Faulkner beating on his brother. Mumia tried to intervene and was shot. Other officers arrived at the scene, shot Faulkner b/c he knew too much already, then placed the gun next to Mumia as they proceeded to kick the living crap out of him. I believe the reason Mr. Cook has never denied that fact that Mumia shot Officer Faulkner is b/c he was scared. They found him once and they can find him again. I'm not sure who Robert Chobert is exactly, but in response to your comment on Robert Chobert I have to say is how come out of (these figues I have heard, but am not sure how true they are, but I assume them to be somewhat true) 125 witnesses there that night only 5 even said they saw Mr. Jamal shoot officer Faulkner? And most of the witnesses were pressured into testifying against him. One lady (I can not recall her name for the life of me right now) has recanted her testomony against Mr. Jamal, and proclaimed that she was threatened by police officers to say that Mr. Jamal shot officer Faulkner. Also the taxi cab driver (this might be your Mr. Chobert, I amnot sure) that was driving when Mr. Jamal told him to stop b/c he saw a police officer beating on a black man (who happened to be his brother), the cab driver was driving without a lisence and still does to this very day without any hassle from the police. Have you ever considered the possibility that Mr. Cook will not speak up out of fear that the police will brutalize him again? I give you that to ponder...



These are all the things I have written that I think deserve to be up, but if you would like to join the discussion as well, click here. You can also see what other little things I have written, which I think aren't that great enough to put here. Or you can click on the picture below to check out all e-thepeople.com has. I know really enjoy it. Anyways... I'll try to keep updating this. ~Lynne