Amazon.com: Murdered by Mumia: A Life Sentence of Loss, Pain, and Injustice: Maureen Faulkner, Michael A. Smerconish: Books

From Publishers Weekly
In this moving if ultimately unsuccessful memoir, Faulkner continues her fight for the execution of Mumia Abu-Jamal, the man convicted for the 1981 killing of her husband, police officer Danny Faulkner. On the strength of eyewitness testimony, ballistics tests and his own confession at the hospital following the shooting, former Black Panther Abu-Jamal was convicted in 1982 of first-degree murder and has spent 25 years on death row in Pennsylvania. Faulkner details not only her struggle to come to terms with losing her husband at age 25 but also her attempts to counteract the support Abu-Jamal's claim of racial injustice has generated in left-wing circles across the United States and abroad. Faulkner is a staunch defender of the death penalty, especially in cases involving police casualties. She traces Abu-Jamal's numerous appeals, including the latest, currently in the U.S. Third Circuit Court of Appeals, over whether or not a Pennsylvania judge's overturning of the death sentence is grounds for a retrial. Though Faulkner's determined struggle is compelling, her memoir (co-authored by Smerconish, a lawyer and Philadelphia columnist and radio host, and an advisor to Faulkner) awkwardly attempts to combine personal reflections with an examination of the case's legal and political details. This muddled account unfortunately doesn't do justice to an issue that deserves a close look.
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Review

“This is a harrowing book, told with uncommon grace and dignity. Maureen Faulkner is an incredible woman. The story she tells, of being denied for more than a quarter century the dignity of burying her police officer husband in peace, is even more incredible.”

Buzz Bissinger - Author of Friday Night Lights

"The Bible teaches that the truth will set us free, but Michael Smerconish and Maureen Faulkner teach us that even a powerful truth needs courage as its ally."

Chris Matthews - Host of Hardball with Chris Matthews and The Chris Matthews Show

“Maureen Faulkner is a genuine American heroine. While influential people garner cheap headlines with stories of false injustice, Maureen Faulkner fights behind the scenes and in public to preserve the good name of her husband. This is a real justice story!”

John Timoney, Miami Chief of Police

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Product Details

Hardcover: 368 pages
Publisher: The Lyons Press (December 6, 2007)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1599213761
ISBN-13: 978-1599213767
Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 1.6 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)

Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (41 customer reviews)

Amazon.com Sales Rank: #291,521 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Inside This Book (learn more)

Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
muscular dystrophy, evidence handler, verdict slip, convicted cop killer, first juror, black jurors, ballistics expert

Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Mumia Abu-Jamal, Leonard Weinglass, Judge Sabo, William Cook, Officer Faulkner, Veronica Jones, Cynthia White, San Francisco, Dan Ashley, Sam Donaldson, Garry Bell, Judge Yohn, Daniel Faulkner, Black United, Michael Smerconish, New Jersey, City Hall, Danny Faulkner, Maureen Faulkner, Anthony Jackson, John Street, Mike Farrell, John Africa, Hugh Burns, Yale Law

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	90% buy the item featured on this page: Murdered by Mumia: A Life Sentence of Loss, Pain, and Injustice 4.3 out of 5 stars (41) $16.47
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Customer Reviews

41 Reviews

5 star:		(29)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(3)

Average Customer Review

4.3 out of 5 stars (41 customer reviews)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

81 of 89 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's about time, December 6, 2007

By	Tony (Delaware, USA) - See all my reviews

After years of one-sided diatribes from Wesley Cook's apologists and the agenda-driven bias of the anti-death penalty left, it is good to finally see the victim's side of the story told.

"Murdered by Mumia" is a well-written recounting of the cold-blooded murder of Philadelphia police officer Danny Faulkner at the hands of social activist and self-styled journalist Wesley Cook, aka Mumia Abu-Jamal. It is also a very poignant look at the people Faulkner left behind, particularly his young wife, Maureen, and her struggle to see justice, so long delayed, finally done.

It's odd how Wesley Cook, whose guilt is undeniable to anyone who has followed this case closely and actually read the various court transcripts, has somehow become the poster boy for the anti-death penalty crowd. One can only hope that this book will help to acquaint the objective reader with the actual victim in this case, Danny Faulkner.

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29 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Please Read This, December 7, 2007

By	L. Hoffman - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I suggest that anyone - especially reviewers and interviewers - actually read this book before writing about "not knowing what actually happened" on the night Officer Danny Faulkner was murdered. Also a must read for every one of the Hollywood supporters listed in the book. The facts are here. Please read this.

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29 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Clearly Defining Reasonable, December 10, 2007

By	Stuart J. Fischbein (Los Angeles) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book, brilliantly written, tells of a true American tragedy. Maureen Faulkner is a heroine and has weathered the lunacy of those that support Danny Faulkner's killer with grace and dignity. Only in this great country of ours would a cold blooded killer be given all the opportunities he has to acquit himself, continue to fail miserably at it and become a celebrity in the process. The book clearly and concisely outlines how the supporters of a convicted killer of a peace officer in the line of duty can vehemently question the facts of the case and the sworn testimony supporting his obvious guilt. Yet, never turn that same energy and scrutiny on the unsubstantiated theories and constantly altering fabrications put forth by the defense lawyers. I read the book cover to cover and to anyone with a logical and open mind there is no doubt as to who murdered Danny Faulkner.
For those fellow travelers and useful idiots who believe that the killer is someone other than Jamal or that his trial was somehow biased there will be no changing their mind. "Murdered by Mumia" is written for the rest of us who understand what the word "reasonable" really means. The tragedy is the pain and loss of the survivors of Officer Faulkner and the travesty of what has been done to our faith in a legal system gone awry.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

2.0 out of 5 stars Cliche-ridden, sentimental, so not convincing
Frankly, I think Abu Jamal did it. As to former colleagues of an organization mentioned in the book--where all of us worked--opined, either Mumia did it, or he knew who did. Read more

Published 2 months ago by Timothy P. Scanlon

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book. Good deal.
What a book. This is a great depiction of the murder of Police Officer Faulkner and the aftermath. God bless him and his family.

Published 7 months ago by James E. Griffin

5.0 out of 5 stars I hope this will finally set the record straight!
Finally! The truth known to a majority of Pennsylvanians about Mumia now sees the light of day! This is in thanks to a courageous woman, her family, and of course Michael... Read more

Published 12 months ago by Jennifer J. Hoey

5.0 out of 5 stars Heartbreaker
It had to be done. I read a reviewer state that "Maureen has made a career of Danny's death". If it wasn't for the psychos on the left, she wouldn't have had to write the book in... Read more

Published 14 months ago by Daniel P. Sarrubbo

3.0 out of 5 stars painful
I am a firm believer that Cook murdered a policeman, and I would support any cause against Cook. I thought the book was a hard read, but am glad I read it for the perspective... Read more

Published 14 months ago by C. Smith

5.0 out of 5 stars The Widow's got WOW-Factor!
Although I tend to agree with Jane Jervis, that Danny's Widow has "made a career of her husband's death"(P. Read more

Published 14 months ago by HoshPI

1.0 out of 5 stars A waste of time and money.
Extremely one-sided, extremely biased and not well written. I was expecting much more from this. Keep your hands off this book, it's absolutely not worth the money. Read more

Published 15 months ago by A. Vazquez

2.0 out of 5 stars Enough Already
I just finished reading this book and, while I am of the same opinion as the authors, I cannot recommend it as a good read. Read more

Published 16 months ago by Nick T. Francone

3.0 out of 5 stars A little repetitive
The book was interesting in that you learned the entire story. I bought the book for that reason; I wanted to hear Maureen's side of it after so many years of other people giving... Read more

Published 16 months ago by T. Sammons

3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting but not well written
I was very excited to read this book, having known enough about the case to be interested.

The facts and details of the case hit you over the head and are well... Read more

Published 17 months ago by Sean Claycamp

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