The Case of Mumia Abu-Jamal: A Life in the Balance (Open Media Pamphlet Series) (Paperback)

~ Amnesty International (Editor) "Mumia Abu-Jamal has been incarcerated on Pennsylvania's death row for the past 17 years..." (more)
Key Phrases: law enforcement community, Mumia Abu-Jamal, Officer Faulkner, Fraternal Order of Police (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Mumia Abu-Jamal, a black man, was convicted and sentenced to death in 1982 for the murder of white police officer Daniel Faulkner. Based on an exhaustive review of the trial transcript and other original documents, Amnesty International determined that the case failed to meet minimum international standards safeguarding the fairness of legal proceedings and here explains why a new trial is mandatory.

Product Details

• Paperback: 64 pages
• Publisher: Open Media; Special Ed edition (April 9, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 158322081X
• ISBN-13: 978-1583220818
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.1 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #537,014 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Raising doubt about Mumia's trial, December 31, 2001

By	Arilitt "Chris Skabla" (bensalem, pa USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

If you are from Philadelphia or the Philadelphia area, then you can truly understand the problems of the case of Mummia. It seems that every time you mention his name here you get into some kind of arguement. The sad thing about this is most people have absolutely no knowledge of the facts on the case of Mumia. This book, if you read it, can change that. The book attempts, and does a good job of, explaining why Amnesty International thinks that Mumia Abu Jamal recieved an unfair trial. At no time does Amnesty International say that Mumia should be set free, or that he is innocent of said charges. I will repeat this so there are no misunderstandings,AT NO TIME DOES AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL SAY THAT MUMIA SHOULD BE SET FREE OR THAT HE IS INNOCENT.
Now anyone should be skeptical of a book written on such a sensitive subject, but Amnesty International is a highly respected global human rights watch dog group, and I believe that their information is reliable. If you are from Philadelphia and would like to read a book on Mumia, or you are from somewhere else and just interested, this book is a good start, but not an end to informing you on this subject.

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not very objective, February 25, 2008

By	anonymous (New Mexico) - See all my reviews

It's sad that so few commentators on this case ever read the trial transcripts.

It's simple: Officer Falkner was shot by a gun registered to Mumia. Mumia was still wearing the shoulder holster when he was apprehended, and the gun had five spent cartridges. Mumia's hair, complexion, hat and striped sweater matched the description of an eye-witness who saw it all from 25 feet away.

Faced with such damning, obvious evidence, the defense has cooked up one silly explanation after another. But they never explain away the central facts of the case.

Far too many black men have been wrongly convicted. I'd give a second look at any black man's conviction. That's why I got interested in this case. But Mumia is simply, obviously guilty. Handsome, charismatic, and guilty.

Mumia has been very successful at manipulating the media and the courts. It takes away from other men of color who have genuinely been wrongly accused.

If you must believe he's innocent, then there are all sorts of fairy tales for you. If you believe in colorblind justice, there is one simple answer.

Mumia shot a police officer in the face, point blank.

2 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book which I highly recommend, February 6, 2007

By	Robert D. Glover Jr. "robert-g-near-nyc" (Linden, NJ USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Amazon Verified Purchase

This is a very well researched, very thoughtful and very interesting book which in my opinion everyone should read as part of understanding the world we live in. I agree with the other reviewer that this book makes a compelling case that a re-trial absolutely essential in order for justice to triumph. Please buy and read this book. It is first rate in every way.