Widow of Mumia Abu-Jamal's Victim Tells Her Moving Story

Favorite Murderer of Hollywood and College Students Challenged in New Book

In the early morning hours of Dec. 9, 1981, a young bride named Maureen Faulkner was awakened by a knock at her door. Standing outside were three members of the Philadelphia Police Department. They were there to inform Maureen that her husband of just more than one year, Officer Danny Faulkner, had been shot in the line of duty. Maureen didn't know it yet, but her husband was already dead, and she had just taken the first step in a 26-year-plus Odyssey-which continues today-in search of justice for her husband's murderer.

Danny Faulkner's murderer-a former Black Panther and would-be media figure who calls himself Mumia Abu-Jamal-was found guilty of that crime by a racially mixed jury on the basis of a multitude of physical evidence and several independent eyewitness accounts. One prosecutor called the murder case against Abu-Jamal the strongest he had ever seen. When AbuJamal was sentenced to death by that same jury, the grieving Maureen took some small comfort in the knowledge that at least justice would be served. But it was not to be.

Through a cruel convergence of political correctness, the "rights of the accused" movement, America's broken appeals process and good, old-fashioned conartistry, Abu-Jamal forged a new persona for himself out of whole cloth: the innocent political activist railroaded by a racist legal system. As his rejected appeals began to pile up, Mumia finally, ironically, achieved the notoriety that had eluded him during a failed career as a radio commentator. Today, as the favored "political prisoner" of America's two most gullible constituencies-college students and Hollywood celebrities-AbuJamal enjoys international acclaim, lucrative book deals, publication in academic journals, speaking invitations and even a regular soapbox on network radio. Meanwhile, Abu-Jamal's appeals continue, with no end in sight, while in some quarters calls for his release from jail grow louder. Throughout this legal charade, now in its 27th year, one courageous woman has stood up for the rights of the man she loved, a man who can no longer speak for himself. A man named Danny Faulkner. (For more information on this case, visit DanielFaulkner.com.)

In her new book Murdered by Mumia (available at HEBookService.com), Maureen Faulkner tells us how she went from being a policeman's widow to being a crusader on behalf of justice, devoting her life to responding to the "Free Mumia!" cult's disinformation campaign and fighting for Mumia Abu-Jamal's lawful sentence to be carried out. In the years since Danny's death. Maureen Faulkner has created a new life for herself in Southern California, one she shares with her companion Paul Palkovic.

I sat down recently with Maureen at her home to discuss how Murdered by Mumia came to be written.

Was there some specific incident that made you become an activist in this case?

MAUREEN FAULKNER: Yes, there was. For many years after the initial trial and conviction, the case was quiet. I moved out here [to Southern California], I found a new career in the medical industry and things were quiet. Not a whole lot going on.

Then, in 1995, National Public Radio did something that really changed my life. My Uncle Bill sent me a newspaper article saying that NPR was going to air Mumia Abu-Jamal's commentaries from Death Row. I read this article and I'm telling you, I was like a caged animal. That's what really pushed me over the edge. I said, "I can't believe this, I can't believe NPR is going to air these commentaries."

Mumia Abu-Jamal is behind bars. He murdered Danny with, I believe, malice and premeditation. What is wrong with our justice system? When people are murdered, the murderer's voice should be taken away from him. He should not be heard. Why should society care about what Mumia Abu-Jamal has to say, after what he's done? I was awake all night. I remember I was crying, and Paul said, Maureen, this is the beginning of the firestorm. Leonard Weinglass, who is Abu-Jamal's defense attorney, is pretty renowned. He's going to start going around to his celebrity friends and getting support for Mumia, and I think you're looking at a long battle as long as this man is his attorney. You have to make a decision. It's like a boxing ring, Paul said. You're going to get in the ring, and you're going to fight, and you're going to punch, and you'd better pick and choose your fights because you can't fight 'em all. And then there are going to be times when you'll be able to sit in the corner and take a breath. Or, he said, you can just throw your hands up in the air and let the chips fall where they may, say, "I'm just going to let the justice system handle it. I'm going to walk away. I live a different life now, out here in California, and I just have to believe that the justice system is going to handle the case properly, that justice will prevail."

And I said to Paul that I just can't allow this to go on without getting involved. It will hurt me more, it will rip my soul out more to allow this to go on and not take action. At least I would know I was trying to do something to make a difference.