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Indybay Feature

Abu-Jamal case goes beyond weeping widow

by Linn Washington Jr.
Philadelphia's news media, while focusing on Faulkner's pain, again turned its' collective back on new "news" further undermining the proof-pillars upholding the conviction of Abu-Jamal.

A group interestingly called Journalists for Abu-Jamal held a press conference in West Philly last week to release previously unseen photographs of the 1981 crime scene.

These photographs graphically contradict core elements of the case presented in court against Abu-Jamal yet not a single local mainstream news organization sent a reporter to that press conference.
Abu-Jamal case goes beyond weeping widow

By Linn Washington, Jr. , published in this week's Philadelphia Tribune.

While guilt or innocence in the controversial case of death row inmate Mumia Abu-Jamal remains hotly contested after 26 years, it is clear that a lot of pain pervades this case.

Not surprisingly, most news media coverage of "pain" in this case centers on the pain borne by Maureen Faulkner.

Faulkner is the widow of the Philadelphia policeman whose Dec. 9, 1981 slaying set journalist Abu-Jamal on a path towards execution.

Last week Philadelphia's mainstream media again fawned over Maureen Faulkner, this time focusing on her newly released book "Murdered by Mumia."

This book describes Faulkner's two-decades of pain and her anguish caused by cries that Abu-Jamal was unjustly convicted.

Faulkner continues asserting her absolute belief in Abu-Jamal's guilt while assailing those she perceives as siding with Abu-Jamal from Philadelphia Mayor John Street to the late, legendary actor/activist Ossie Davis.

Philadelphia's news media, while focusing on Faulkner's pain, again turned its' collective back on new "news" further undermining the proof-pillars upholding the conviction of Abu-Jamal.

A group interestingly called Journalists for Abu-Jamal held a press conference in West Philly last week to release previously unseen photographs of the 1981 crime scene.

These photographs graphically contradict core elements of the case presented in court against Abu-Jamal yet not a single local mainstream news organization sent a reporter to that press conference.

Given the local media's propensity to ignore evidence of Abu-Jamal's innocence while constantly hyping Maureen Faulkner's pain, it's not surprising that the pain of others impacted by this case falls from the media frame.

One of those long-sufferers is Veronica Jones, a person at the 1981 crime scene and a person who authorities pressured to give false testimony against Abu-Jamal.

Jones, in a recent letter to a national news organization, described the "intimidation and humiliation I was force to endure because of this case."

Only 20 years old at the time of the crime, Jones said assaults by authorities have "plagued" her entire adult life.

"If there were no merit or questions looming regarding Mr. Jamal's innocence, then can someone please explain to me why so much effort [has been] exerted to publicly try to discredit and humiliate me?" Jones wrote.

"Having me handcuffed and arrested while on the witness stand when I tried to come forward with the truth is one such example of the intimidation, threats and bullying I've endured since December 1981," said a pained Jones.

That handcuffing incident took place during a 1996 appeal hearing for Abu-Jamal immediately after Jones testified that she lied under police pressure at the original '82 trial.

Blatantly pro-prosecution judge Albert Sabo allowed NJ detectives to arrest Jones while on the witness stand for what turned out to be a bogus criminal charge.

Observers tagged that unusual in-court arrest action as intimidating retaliation against Jones.

If the media see no news in Jones' pain, perhaps there is news in her feelings about Officer Faulkner?

Faulkner "helped and looked out for me several times" Jones wrote.

"With that being said, I had no reason whatsoever to protect a man accused of murdering him — a man that I did not even know," Jones wrote, stating her belief that Abu-Jamal "is innocent."

With news media brushing off 'hot-button' items like pain, the brush-off of crime scene photos is somewhat understandable.

One of those crime scene photographs shows the spot were prosecutors proclaim Abu-Jamal straddled fallen Policeman Daniel Faulkner, firing a pistol point blank at the officer, missing three times before blasting Faulkner between the eyes.

But this photograph shows no bullet holes or other marks in the sidewalk consistent with high-powered bullets being fired into that sidewalk as prosecutors told the jury that convicted Abu-Jamal and judges who have repeatedly upheld his conviction.

One presenter at that press conference described how he sent this sidewalk scene photo to a satellite photo imaging enhancement expert for the US space program.

No bullet holes in the sidewalk raises serious questions about the contention that Abu-Jamal killed Officer Faulkner.

Eyewitnesses ignored by authorities said another man shot Faulkner and fled the scene.

While local news media brushed off the photos, the Today Show presented those photographs late last week during a feature segment providing a national launch for Mrs. Faulkner's book.

A few tamed questions about the photos and concerns about Abu-Jamal's conviction angered Faulkner, her co-author (Philly media personality Michael Smerconish) and their conservative allies.

Hours after that Today Show interview, a Web site maintained by the conservative Media Research Center, accused a Today host for taking "up the cause of the convicted cop killer [by asking] skeptical questions … about the legitimacy of Abu-Jamal's guilt…"

Asking questions, is exactly what journalists are supposed to do … but too frequently don't do in the Abu-Jamal case.

The Today Show presented a balanced segment on the Abu-Jamal case, says media expert, Dr. Todd Burroughs.

"It was good to see Faulkner and Smerconish finally being asked some critical questions about the legitimacy of Abu-Jamal's trial and all of the evidence that points to a set-up," said Burroughs, who teaches at Morgan State University and is writing a journalistic biography of Abu-Jamal.

Burroughs feels Abu-Jamal supporters need to present "more actual news … and less vigils and symbolic tribunals."

The news media needs to recognize that pain in this case extends beyond the understandable pain of Faulkner's widow.

Linn Washington Jr. is an award-winning writer who teaches journalism at Temple University.
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