[Ppnews] Ensure Fairness For Mumia on NBC’s The Today Show!

[Political Prisoner News]

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 
<mailto:today at msnbc.com>today at 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: 
<mailto:hbjournalist at gmail.com>hbjournalist at 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>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.



Thank you for your consideration.



Sincerely,



Freedom Archives
522 Valencia Street
San Francisco, CA 94110

415 863-9977

www.Freedomarchives.org  
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