Officer Daniel Faulkner

I realize that in the past, I have made some very funny posts. This is not one of them. There has been talk among the blog community about Mumia Abu Jamal, and his "innocence" in the murder of Officer Daniel Faulkner. I'm not here to tell you that Mumia is guilty, but rather to tell you a little about the crime that occured on the night of his arrest. Whether Mumia did it or not, I believe not enough attention is being focused on the actual crime that was committed, and the victim of the brutal killing.


Here is a T-shirt that shows how some people feel about the Murder.
http://www.danielfaulkner.com/Tshirt.html


Daniel J. Faulkner (December 21, 1955 – December 9, 1981) was a Philadelphia police officer who was murdered in the line of duty. Mumia Abu-Jamal, a journalist, political activist, and member of the Black Panther Party and MOVE, was arrested and convicted of Faulkner's murder. Abu-Jamal's conviction has since led to a decades-long controversy.
Daniel Faulkner had settled down with his wife Maureen in Philadelphia and had been serving with the Philadelphia Police Department for five years. On December 9, 1981, Faulkner pulled over William Cook, the brother of Mumia Abu-Jamal (born Wesley Cook). While Faulkner attempted to arrest Cook, Abu-Jamal arrived and allegedly shot Faulkner five times. Officer Faulkner also fired, wounding Abu-Jamal in the chest. Abu-Jamal was taken into custody by other officers after he collapsed nearby. Daniel Faulkner was pronounced dead the same night. (article courtesy of Wikepedia).

I would like to point out that I am against the death penalty, and whether or not Mumia is guilty, he does not deserve to die. But someone did die that night in the line of duty. No matter how strongly people believe in Mumia's innocence, we can not forget the crime that was committed. Justice does need to be served. Remember, there are two sides to every story.