Mumia Abu-Jamal

Mumia Abu-Jamal (born Wesley Cook April 24, 1954) is a journalist and political activist, most famous for his 1982 conviction and death sentence for the murder of Daniel Faulkner, a police officer, and for the subsequent mass campaigns for and against him. Technically, he had been awaiting execution in Pennsylvania from 1982 until December 2001 when Federal District Court judge William Yohn overturned Jamal's death sentence. However, Yohn reaffirmed Jamal's conviction, ruling that he will remain in custody indefinitely.

Career, arrest and trial

Prior to his conviction, Abu-Jamal was a Philadelphia journalist. He began his career at the age of fourteen as the lieutenant minister of information with the Philadelphia Black Panther Party. He was also a prominent supporter of the group MOVE, and president of the Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists. Some say that his achievements as a journalist have been exaggerated - while he has been described as "an award-winning Pennsylvania journalist who exposed police violence against minority communities," little evidence has supported this claim, and at the time of the crime he was a taxi driver.

Related Topics:
Philadelphia - Black Panther Party - MOVE - Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists - Taxi

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It is often claimed that he received the Peabody Award for excellence in Radio Journalism (supposedly in 1980, at the age of 26, for covering the Pope's visit), but the University of Georgia (who attributes the awards) said he has never won it, though he did win a local media award, and someone did submit his work for a Peabody award.

Related Topics:
Peabody Award - Pope - University of Georgia

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On December 9, 1981, Philadelphia police officer Daniel Faulkner pulled over Abu-Jamal's brother, William (Wesley) Cook in the vicinity of 13th and Locust Streets, an area frequented by prostitutes, for driving the wrong way on a one-way street with his lights out. Abu-Jamal, who was driving a cab at the time, happened on the scene and claimed to see Faulkner beating his brother with a flashlight (William Cook later plead guilty to assaulting officer Faulkner). In an ensuing struggle, both Abu-Jamal and Faulkner were shot. Faulkner was shot in the back and in the face and died instantly while Abu-Jamal was shot in the chest. Police allege that Abu-Jamal shot Faulkner while Abu-Jamal's defenders allege that Faulkner was shot by a third man from behind, who fled the scene. Abu-Jamal was arrested at 4 a.m. with a pistol registered in his name at his side.

Related Topics:
December 9 - 1981 - Philadelphia police - Daniel Faulkner - William (Wesley) Cook - Pistol

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On July 3, 1982, Abu-Jamal was convicted of Faulkner's murder and sentenced to death. In addition to a conventional criminal defense, Abu-Jamal raised many political issues in his trial, and asked the court repeatedly to allow MOVE leader John Africa to represent him.

Related Topics:
July 3 - 1982 - Death - Trial - MOVE - John Africa

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