The Framing of Mumia Abu-Jamal [Paperback]

J. Patrick O'Connor (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1556527446 | ISBN-13: 978-1556527449 | Publication Date: May 1, 2008

Sentenced to death in 1982 for allegedly killing a police officer named Daniel Faulkner, Mumia Abu-Jamal is the most famous death row inmate in the United States, if not the world. This book is the first to convincingly show how the Philadelphia Police Department and District Attorney’s Office efficiently and methodically framed him. It takes you step-by-step through what actually transpired on the night Faulkner was shot, including positioning each of the witnesses at the scene and revealing the identity of the killer. It also details the entire trial and fully covers the tortuous appeals process. The author, a seasoned crime reporter, writes in the language of hard facts, without hyperbole or exaggeration, unfounded accusation or finger-pointing, to reveal the truth about one of the most hotly debated cases of the twentieth century.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In this account of the trial of controversial death row inmate Mumia Abu-Jamal, O'Connor, editor and publisher of crimemagazine.com, clearly lays out his case that Abu-Jamal should receive at least a new trial, if not complete exoneration. O'Connor asserts that Abu-Jamal was framed for the 1981 murder of police officer Daniel Faulkner because of a vendetta by Philadelphia mayor Frank Rizzo and the police due to Abu-Jamal's defense, as a journalist, of the cultish countercultural group MOVE. Relying heavily on court transcripts and prior books on the case, O'Connor shows what he sees as the judge's bias, troubled relations between Abu-Jamal and his defense lawyer and dubious statements by various witnesses. Abu-Jamal was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death; later overturned, the sentence could still be reinstated pending a decision by the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. In the wake of Faulkner's widow's recent book alleging Abu-Jamal's guilt, it's difficult to be swayed entirely by O'Connor's arguments, but he makes a strong case that the investigation into Faulkner's murder deserves another look. (May)
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From Booklist

Journalist O’Connor reopens the story of internationally known death-row-inmate Abu-Jamal, a crime reporter convicted in Philadelphia in 1982 for killing police officer Daniel Faulkner. Fans of true crime and police-procedural mysteries will enjoy the sequential logic of O’Connor’s case as he provides background and context for his assertion that the 27-year-old “brilliant” and gentle Abu-Jamal was framed. As a teenager Abu-Jamal was arrested and beaten by police for protesting a George Wallace rally; a year later he joined the Black Panther Party, seen by the FBI’s J. Edgar Hoover as “the greatest threat to the internal security of the United States.” Closer to home were Philly’s then-mayor Frank Rizzo, the city’s concerted effort to neutralize a small radical movement called MOVE, and district attorney Lynne Abraham, “known as ‘The Queen of Death’ because of her zeal for seeking the death penalty.” Her prosecutors sent more than 100 Philly blacks to death row during her 16 years in office. A complex and compelling read that rivals established TV hits while tackling real-life injustice. --Whitney Scott

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 274 pages
• Publisher: Lawrence Hill Books (May 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1556527446
• ISBN-13: 978-1556527449
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #886,318 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent summary of a complicated case, May 5, 2008

By 

Redleaf Books (Washington DC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Framing of Mumia Abu-Jamal (Paperback)

This book does a good job of presenting the dubious evidence from the trial of Mumia Abu-Jamal and makes a convincing argument for what actually happened the night of the murder of Daniel Faulkner. While Mumia Abu-Jamal is still in prison for this murder, it is obvious from the trial transcripts that he did not receive a fair trial - the main witnesses for the prosecution were both paid police informers and the police did not thoroughly investigate the crime scene. Overall an excellent case for how Abu-Jamal has been framed and should be free.

17 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A powerful antidote to mainstream media bias against Mumia, April 30, 2008

By 

Hans R. Bennett "Journalists for Mumia" (Philadelphia, PA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Framing of Mumia Abu-Jamal (Paperback)

This book is highly recommended. The anti-Mumia crowd always says "READ THE TRANSCRIPTS!". Well, J. Patrick O'Connor has thoroughly read all the transcripts and has concluded that the trial was blatantly unfair, Mumia was framed by police, and that he is factually innocent!

Strong words, huh? O'Connor backs it up. He confidently argues that the actual shooter was one Kenneth Freeman, as he details in his recent interview with me at my "Journalists for Mumia" website: Abu-Jamal-News.com. Check out this interview for a good preview of the book, as O'Connor lays out just how Mumia was "framed" and why he believes Kenneth Freeman was the actual shooter.

Many readers no doubt already believe that Mumia's guilty and had a fair trial. I truly hope these folks will have the courage to read this book and hear "the other side" for themselves. What can it hurt? Fortunately O'Connor is an excellent writer and the book is a smooth and easy read, tying together a controversial case that is rather complex.

This is a must read for anyone who wants to really know the facts of the case.

13 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent summary of evidence, May 6, 2008

By 

Elinor H. Stillman (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Framing of Mumia Abu-Jamal (Paperback)

I knew little about the Mumia case and found this book an excellent, well organized summary of the evidence. O'Connor presented both the evidence against Mumia on which the jury verdict likely rested and the evidence that was overlooked or likely perjured. He also gave a candid account of the ways in which Mumia was his own worst enemy during the trial. All in all, I found that the book made a persuasive case that Mumia was innocent of the charge against him.