On 8/30/2021 10:30 PM, redvet666@gmail.com wrote:
>
> https://www.prisonradio.org/commentary/tears-of-empire/
>

from the wiki
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mumia_Abu-Jamal

"Traffic stop and death of officer Faulkner
Main article: Commonwealth v. Abu-Jamal

Daniel Faulkner
At 3:55 am on December 9, 1981, in Philadelphia, close to the
intersection at 13th and Locust streets, Philadelphia Police Department
officer Daniel Faulkner conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle belonging
to and driven by William Cook, Abu-Jamal's younger brother. Faulkner and
Cook became engaged in a physical confrontation.[28] Driving his cab in
the vicinity, Abu-Jamal observed the altercation, parked, and ran across
the street toward Cook's car.[3] Faulkner was shot in the back and face.
He shot Abu-Jamal in the stomach. Faulkner died at the scene from the
gunshot to his head.

Arrest and trial
Police arrived and arrested Abu-Jamal, who was found to be wearing a
shoulder holster. His revolver, which had five spent cartridges, was
beside him. He was taken directly from the scene of the shooting to
Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, where he received treatment for
his wound.[29] He was next taken to Police Headquarters, where he was
charged and held for trial in the first-degree murder of Officer
Faulkner.[30]

Prosecution case at trial
The prosecution presented four witnesses to the court about the
shootings. Robert Chobert, a cab driver who testified he was parked
behind Faulkner, identified Abu-Jamal as the shooter. Cynthia White
testified that Abu-Jamal emerged from a nearby parking lot and shot
Faulkner. Michael Scanlan, a motorist, testified that from two car
lengths away he saw a man matching Abu-Jamal's description run across
the street from a parking lot and shoot Faulkner. Albert Magilton
testified to seeing Faulkner pull over Cook's car. As Abu-Jamal started
to cross the street toward them, Magilton turned away and did not see
what happened next.

The prosecution presented two witnesses from the hospital where
Abu-Jamal was treated. Hospital security guard Priscilla Durham and
police officer Garry Bell testified that Abu-Jamal said in the hospital,
"I shot the motherfucker, and I hope the motherfucker dies."[31]

A .38 caliber Charter Arms revolver, belonging to Abu-Jamal, with five
spent cartridges, was retrieved beside him at the scene. He was wearing
a shoulder holster. Anthony Paul, the Supervisor of the Philadelphia
Police Department's firearms identification unit, testified at trial
that the cartridge cases and rifling characteristics of the weapon were
consistent with bullet fragments taken from Faulkner's body. Tests to
confirm that Abu-Jamal had handled and fired the weapon were not
performed. Contact with arresting police and other surfaces at the scene
could have compromised the forensic value of such tests.[32][citation
needed]

Defense case at trial
The defense maintained that Abu-Jamal was innocent, and that the
prosecution witnesses were unreliable. The defense presented nine
character witnesses, including poet Sonia Sanchez, who testified that
Abu-Jamal was "viewed by the black community as a creative, articulate,
peaceful, genial man". Another defense witness, Dessie Hightower,
testified that he saw a man running along the street shortly after the
shooting, although he did not see the shooting itself. His testimony
contributed to the development of a "running man theory", based on the
possibility that a "running man" may have been the shooter. Veronica
Jones also testified for the defense, but she did not testify to having
seen another man. Other potential defense witnesses refused to appear in
court. Abu-Jamal did not testify in his own defense, nor did his
brother, William Cook. Cook had repeatedly told investigators at the
crime scene: "I ain't got nothing to do with this!".[33]"