NBC to promote Muareen Faulkner's new book, Murdered by Mumia Dec 6th

ACTION ALERT: Ensure Fairness For Mumia Abu-Jamal on NBC’s The Today Show!

On Dec. 6, NBC’s The Today Show intends to air a show about Michael
Smerconish and Maureen Faulkner’s new book “Murdered By Mumia.” According
to the announcement on Michael Smerconish’s website, the show is planning
to feature both Smerconish and Faulkner as guests.

The International Concerned Family and Friends of Mumia Abu-Jamal
(FreeMumia.com), Journalists for Mumia (Abu-Jamal-News.com), and Educators
for Mumia (EmajOnline.com) have initiated a media-activist campaign urging
people to write The Today Show at today@msnbc.com asking them to fairly
present both sides of the Mumia Abu-Jamal / Daniel Faulkner case, by also
featuring as guests, Linn Washington, Jr. (Philadelphia Tribune columnist
and Associate Professor of Journalism at Temple University) and Dr.
Suzanne Ross (Clinical Psychologist and Co-Chair of the Free Mumia
Abu-Jamal Coalition, NYC).

A sample letter ( http://www.abu-jamal-news.com/pr/TodayShow.doc
<http://www.abu-jamal-news.com/pr/TodayShow.doc> ), accompanied by an
extensive informational press pack (
http://www.abu-jamal-news.com/pr/PressPackNov07.pdf
<http://www.abu-jamal-news.com/pr/PressPackNov07.pdf> ) has been created
to use for contacting The Today Show.  Please take a minute and contact
them to ensure fair media coverage of this controversial and important
case.


Sincerely,


The International Concerned Family and Friends of Mumia Abu-Jamal
(FreeMumia.com)

Journalists for Mumia Abu-Jamal (Abu-Jamal-News.com)

Educators for Mumia Abu-Jamal (EmajOnline.com)



SAMPLE LETTER



Dear Today Show,

On December, 2007, the case of Mumia Abu-Jamal will be entering the 27th
year. In the course of those years, much of the media coverage has
contained pure speculation and falsehoods.  Media watchdogs like FAIR.ORG
have sharply criticized this coverage as being biased against Abu-Jamal.

We understand that on Dec. 6, the Today Show intends to air a show about
Michael Smerconish and Maureen Faulkner’s book “Murdered By Mumia.”
Interestingly, the scheduled interview regarding the new book focusing on
Mrs. Faulkner comes at a time of many startling new developments in this
historic case, generating international attention.

Reflecting the international interest in this case, in 2003, Abu-Jamal was
named an honorary citizen of Paris, and in 2006, the city of St. Denis
named a street after him.  While this was largely motivated by opposition
to the death penalty, they also cited strong evidence of both an unfair
trial and Abu-Jamal’s innocence.

One of these developments centers on extraordinary photos of the 1981
crime scene taken by Philadelphia-based press photographer Pedro Polakoff
(viewable at Abu-Jamal-News.com) that reveal manipulation of evidence, and
completely contradict the prosecution’s case, including Officer James
Forbes’ testimony that he properly handled both Abu-Jamal’s and Faulkner’s
guns (the photos show Forbes holding both guns in his bare hand). Also the
photos reveal that there were no large bullet divots or destroyed chunks
of cement where Faulkner was found, which should be visible in the
pavement if the prosecution’s scenario was accurate, according to which
Abu-Jamal shot down at Faulkner and allegedly missed several times while
Faulkner was on his back. Of particular note, this photographer twice
attempted to provide these photos to the District Attorney for both the
1982 trial and the 1995 PCRA hearings, and was ignored both times.

Since his incarceration, Abu-Jamal has published six books and countless
articles, and has delivered hundreds of speeches, including keynote
addresses for college graduations.  As a prolific writer and tenacious
journalist, he has earned the respect (and support) of such notable
prize-winning authors as Toni Morrison, Alice Walker, John Edgar Wideman,
and Salman Rushdie.  Just recently, he was accepted into the PEN American
Center, one of the highest honors a writer can achieve.  Additionally, at
the time of his arrest, he was president of the Philadelphia chapter of
the Association of Black Journalists, and was awarded the PEN Oakland
award for outstanding journalism after the publication of his first book,
Live from Death Row.  Since Live, he has garnered a following of dedicated
readers around the world, including scholars, college educators, and
journalists.  His work is, in part, testament to the dignity he has
demonstrated for the past 25 years he has been on death
 row.

The ethical interests in balance and fairness in presenting “news”
regarding the Abu-Jamal case, arguably requires providing Today Show
viewers with information evidencing Mr. Abu-Jamal’s innocence and unfair
trial.  To represent this other side, and to provide perspectives
addressing the informational needs of your viewers, I ask that you also
feature experts Linn Washington, Jr. (Philadelphia Tribune columnist and
Associate Professor of Journalism at Temple University) and Dr. Suzanne
Ross (Clinical Psychologist and Co-Chair of the Free Mumia Abu-Jamal
Coalition, NYC) as guests on your Dec. 6 show (they can be contacted via
Journalists for Mumia: hbjournalist@gmail.com).



While Mrs. Faulkner certainly has a “story” and is entitled to her
opinions, your viewers should be privy to other facts, such as the
prosecution withholding key evidence, witness coercion, racist jury
selection, and evidence that Judge Albert Sabo boasted about his desire to
help the prosecution “fry the nigger,” as enclosed in the press packet
provided here for you:
http://www.abu-jamal-news.com/pr/PressPackNov07.pdf

I also write to provide you with information (inclusive of material from
Abu-Jamal’s lawyer) in the interests of journalistic balance, fairness and
integrity. The press packet includes 1) A recent Black Commentator article
by Philadelphia lawyer/journalist David A. Love describing the
significance of the Polakoff photos, 2) An Educators for Mumia Abu-Jamal
press release about the Polakoff photos, written by Princeton University
Professor Mark L. Taylor, 3) Criticism of the 1998 ABC 20/20 program about
Abu-Jamal, 4) Background on the case, focusing on both the 1982 trial and
1995-97 PCRA hearings, with a focus on Abu-Jamal’s alleged “hospital
confession,” ballistics evidence, and the testimony of Veronica Jones, 5)
Recent police intimidation of Abu-Jamal’s supporters, including reported
death threats against Sgt. DeLacy Davis, of Black Cops Against Police
Brutality, and more.