Customer Reviews

Killing Time

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Beyond the protests and the politics, the celebrity involvement and the media hype, what do you know about the death row case of Mumia Abu-Jamal? Most of us would answer, "Very little." In Killng Time, Dave Lindorff compiles existing information from court records, police and media reports, as well as conducting new interviews in the hope of finally making sense of this confusing case. He thoroughly analyzes all the pieces, including the questionable motives of many key players, in an attempt to find the truth and expose the numerous inconsistencies. He makes no assertions regarding Mumia's innocence or guilt but makes a strong case for police corruption and judicial irregularities that have kept Mumia on death row for 20 years without yet having the benefit of a fair trial.

This objective, investigative reporter questions the police, the judge, the prosecution, the defense, as well as the defendant and his supporters. Lindorff works hard to maintain objectivity in the face of overwhelming evidence of mistakes, poor legal strategy, lies and deals. Killing Time gives us raw facts along with thoughtful analysis, including that which has been suppressed, ignored or misinterpreted. I am grateful for finally getting the facts behind this case.

Killing Time is interesting and well written. One's views of our justice system will be challenged. After Chapter 2, I had read enough to realize that justice was not served. Lindorff continues with startling revelations and clear insight for the next 10 chapters. It is fascinating, yet also disturbing, when one realizes that a man's life is in the balance in this case.

Reading this book helped me to better understand the actions of Governor Ryan of Illinois who recently commuted the death sentences of 167 people because of "the demon of error" in the judicial system. If the system in Illinois is anything like the Philadelphia system described in this book, it makes his actions understandable, perceptive and heroic.

I have heard Mr Lindorff talk about the good and bad sides of American justice on CNN and network television and was astonished at his reporting that the US Government Terrorism hotline is answered by staff at the television show "America's Most Wanted". In "Killing Time" Mr Lindorff has sensitively balanced the needs for fairness and closure in the tragedy of the murder of a young policeman followed by the assignment to death row of one of Philadelphia's most promising broadcast journalists.
Susanna J Dodgson, PhD, Publisher, Emerald Pademelon Press.

Investigative reporter Dave Lindorff has earned a reputation as an independent thinker and thorough researcher. This book is a testament to those skills, and anyone who has followed this long running case should read Lindorff's book. It busts through conventional wisdom and corporate media spin to find the truth about what has always been a controversial case whose story has been told most often through the eyes of political and personal views, rather than through the hard facts alone. Buy it, read it, learn from it.

I began studying the case of Wesley Cook aka Mumia abu-Jamal many years ago. I've read the books by Cook's lawyers. I've studied all the information posted on the IFFMAJ website as well as the Daniel Faulkner website. I've read the entire transcript of the trial and the appeals.

This is the most open and shut murder case I have ever seen. There isn't a shred of doubt that Cook aka Jamal executed Philadelphia police officer Daniel Faulkner while Faulkner lay injured in the street from the first Jamal bullet.

Far from being "unbiased", Lindorff is a leftwing hack and activist. His books and columns all have the same anti-authority leftwing theme. Calling Lindorff "unbiased" requires the same sort of chutzpah as calling Rush Limbaugh "unbiased."

This book is little more than leftwing political propaganda. Be suspicious of any teacher or professor who makes it required reading.

Needed this for a class. Good to see other side of the story and still believe that the man did the crime. Still always want to be fair and see both sides of a story.

Beyond the protests and the politics, the celebrity involvement and the media hype, what do you know about the death row case of Mumia Abu-Jamal? Most of us would answer, "Very little." In Killng Time, Dave Lindorff compiles existing information from court records, police and media reports, as well as conducting new interviews in the hope of finally making sense of this confusing case. He thoroughly analyzes all the pieces, including the questionable motives of many key players, in an attempt to find the truth and expose the numerous inconsistencies. He makes no assertions regarding Mumia's innocence or guilt but makes a strong case for police corruption and judicial irregularities that have kept Mumia on death row for 20 years without yet having the benefit of a fair trial.

This objective, investigative reporter questions the police, the judge, the prosecution, the defense, as well as the defendant and his supporters. Lindorff works hard to maintain objectivity in the face of overwhelming evidence of mistakes, poor legal strategy, lies and deals. Killing Time gives us raw facts along with thoughtful analysis, including that which has been suppressed, ignored or misinterpreted. I am grateful for finally getting the facts behind this case.

Killing Time is interesting and well written. One's views of our justice system will be challenged. After Chapter 2, I had read enough to realize that justice was not served. Lindorff continues with startling revelations and clear insight for the next 10 chapters. It is fascinating, yet also disturbing, when one realizes that a man's life is in the balance in this case.

Reading this book helped me to better understand the actions of Governor Ryan of Illinois who recently commuted the death sentences of 167 people because of "the demon of error" in the judicial system. If the system in Illinois is anything like the Philadelphia system described in this book, it makes his actions understandable, perceptive and heroic.

Why did Thomas write a review and make no mention of the book? he makes the statment that looking at the evidence will show that Mumia is guilty while if he read the book the author says something diffrent.

Good job..nice balanced review buddy.

The case of Mumia Abu Jamal has been a sore point in the history of Philadelphia for some time. It is a case that has polarized people in Philadelphia and around the world. This is the first account to painstakingly analyze the case with an eye on obtaining justice. It is very much NOT a political screed for either side.
With scholarly thoroughness, Lindorff has given the case a new life. It's all there written in a lively style. In the end, no matter whether Jamal is guilty or innocent, the book uses the facts to make it clear he did not get a fair trial in the highly volatile climate in Philadelphia at the time of the murder.
The book is essential reading for anyone interested in race, issues of justice and the death penalty in America. It is also the tale of one of our most troubling modern murder mysteries.

I've spent many years studying the Mumia case, in the beginning a supporter of his cause. Lindorff, like many associated with defending Mumia, have dug up ample evidence of the corruption and racism embedded in the government of Philadelphia -- after all, this is a city whose black mayor dropped a firebomb on Mumia's fellow black radicals from MOVE back in the mid-80's and burned down an entire neighborhood.

The death penalty is certainly wrong and unfairly used and should be abolished, and Mumia almost certainly didn't get a fair trial (though that fault lies with him and his defense as much as the prosecution).

But any honest review of the evidence leaves no doubt that Mumia is guilty of murdering Daniel Faulkner, and in the first degree. Beyond dispute is the fact that Faulkner was in the process of arresting Mumia's brother when Mumia ran across the street to the scene. In the aftermath, Faulkner lay dead with a bullet in his brain and Mumia lay wounded beside him, with five spent shells in his revolver.

Fortunately, it appears that Mumia has begun to fade from the stage after his death sentence was overturned and will stand commuted to life without parole, and divorce Mumia from the worthy fight for the overturn of Capital Punishment and a fairer, more equitable justice system.

An honest, in-depth look at a complicated case that reflects the major issues of the time. Read it and you will have all the information to come to your own conclusions, plus a lot of thoughtful reporting to get you thinking about the complicated issues of race, violence, justice, democracy and the death penalty. Lindorff is a first rate writer and jouralist. You won't be bored!