Daniel Faulkner

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Daniel Faulkner
Daniel Faulkner

Daniel J. Faulkner (December 21, 1955 – December 9, 1981) was a police officer in the American city of Philadelphia who was shot and killed in the line of duty. A journalist named Mumia Abu-Jamal was convicted for the murder. Abu-Jamal's trial, conviction, and death sentence has gained international attention.

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[edit] Life and career

The youngest of seven children, Faulkner was born to an Irish Catholic family in Southwest Philadelphia. His father, who was a trolley car driver, died when Danny was five years old. He was raised by a working mother and his older siblings. Just prior to graduating from high school, Faulkner left to join the United States Army. While in the army, he earned his diploma and an associate's degree in criminal justice. Upon leaving the army in 1975, Faulkner worked briefly as a corrections officer, and then later joined the Philadelphia Police Department. While working in law enforcement, Faulkner enrolled in community college to earn his bachelor's degree in criminal justice. He hoped to eventually become a prosecutor for the district attorney's office. He married Maureen in 1979. He was murdered two years later.

[edit] Murder

According to the prosecution in the later murder trial, which ended with the conviction of Mumia Abu-Jamal, the following events happened on December 9, 1981:

"On December 9, 1981, Faulkner pulled over William Cook, the brother of Mumia Abu-Jamal, (born Wesley Cook). While Faulkner attempted to arrest Cook, Abu-Jamal arrived and shot Faulkner in the back. Officer Faulkner managed to return fire before falling to the ground, wounding Abu-Jamal in the chest. However, Abu-Jamal stood over the fallen officer and emptied the remaining chambers of his revolver into him at close range, one of the shots striking Faulkner in the face."

This sequence of events is disputed by supporters of Abu-Jamal.

Abu-Jamal was taken into custody by other officers arriving at the scene after he collapsed nearby. Daniel Faulkner was pronounced dead the same night. Abu-Jamal was immediately charged and, in 1982, convicted of Faulkner's murder.

[edit] Aftermath

A section of U.S. Route 1 that passes through Northeast Philadelphia was renamed Daniel Faulkner Memorial Highway in Faulkner's honor.

After her husband's murder, Maureen Faulkner moved to California, where she manages the medical office of a Ventura County doctor. In 1994, upon discovering that National Public Radio planned to broadcast a series of commentaries taped by Abu-Jamal from death row, Maureen began a campaign of her own to counter the "Free Mumia" movement. Since then, she has made numerous speeches and public appearances in support of upholding Abu-Jamal's conviction and subsequent death sentence.[1]

In 1999, Faulkner was present at the Evergreen State College to protest the university decision to allow a videotape of Jamal, to be shown as he was selected to be the commencement speaker. The videotape showed Jamal, presenting Marxist commentary and imploring the new graduates to admire and emulate controversial figures from history such as Malcolm X.

On December 9, 2001, she returned to Philadelphia to attend a ceremony honoring Daniel Faulkner on the 20th anniversary of his murder. Five years later, on 8 December 2006, she returned once again, characterizing Abu-Jamal's supporters as "know-nothings" and praising District Attorney Lynne M. Abraham for steadfastly challenging Abu-Jamal's many appeals.

In 2007, Maureen co-authored a book with Philadelphia radio journalist Michael Smerconish entitled "Murdered by Mumia: A Life Sentence of Pain, Loss, and Injustice."[2] Maureen says it is "The first book to definitively lay out the case against Mumia Abu-Jamal, and those who’ve elevated him to the status of political prisoner."[3]

[edit] Footnotes

  1. ^ "Slain cop's widow wages long campaign to see justice done", Ventura County Star
  2. ^ Murdered by Mumia: official book site]
  3. ^ Murdered by Mumia: A Life Sentence of Loss, Pain, and Injustice

[edit] External links

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