Condemning St. Denis, France, For Naming Street IN Honor Of Mumia Abu-Jamal

CONDEMNING ST. DENIS, FRANCE, FOR NAMING STREET IN HONOR OF MUMIA ABU-JAMAL -- (House of Representatives - December 06, 2006)

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. FITZPATRICK of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, on the night of December 9, 1981, Philadelphia Police Officer Daniel Faulkner made a routine traffic stop when the driver of a Volkswagon was spotted driving the wrong way down a one-way street. While attempting to take the driver of the vehicle into custody, the brother of the driver appeared from across the street and opened fire on Officer Faulkner while his back was turned away.

The shooter's name was Weslie Cook, who was also known by his alias, Mumia Abu-Jamal. Not only did Mumia shoot Danny Faulkner in the back, but in a final moment of what can only be described as contempt and cold hatred, he stood over Officer Faulkner's prone body and fired again, the bullet striking Faulkner in the head, which instantly killed him.

During the altercation, Officer Faulkner was able to return fire, his shots wounding Mumia Abu-Jamal enough to keep him from leaving the scene of the murder. Police arrived on the scene and found Mumia with the murder weapon close by.

Soon after the crime, Mr. Speaker, Mumia was tried by a jury of his peers. Four eyewitnesses confirmed that Abu-Jamal was in fact Officer Faulkner's murderer, and not even his own brother William Cook agreed to testify in his defense. The jury deliberated only 2 days before convicting Abu-Jamal of first degree murder.

Although Mumia tried many times to have his conviction overturned by Pennsylvania's commonwealth court, the Pennsylvania supreme court, and even the United States Supreme Court, Mumia Abu-Jamal's conviction stood firm and, in fact, still stands today.

The murder of Officer Faulkner has been burnt into the memory of his colleagues, friends, family and into the thoughts of countless police officers across the country as a senseless act of violence.

However, something strange happened during Mumia's trial and subsequent appeals. He became something of a celebrity to the extreme fringe left. Free Mumia movements started to spring up across the country. Activists started calling him a political prisoner.

Word spread, and soon his name became known across the world, leading us to this moment and the consideration of this House resolution.

In early May of this year, I read a disturbing story in the Philadelphia Enquirer. The story reported that on April 29, the Parisian suburb St. Denis named a street of their city in honor of Mumia Abu-Jamal. I was shocked and I was disgusted.

The man who, in 1970 as a founding member of the Black Panthers in Philadelphia, wrote, ``I for one feel like putting down my pen. Let's write epithets for Pigs!'' was being honored as a political prisoner. According to the Enquirer article, Suzanne Ross, the cochair of the Free Mumia Coalition of New York City, said that ``in France, they see him as a towering figure.'' Well, Ms. Rosen, in the United States the vast majority of Americans see him for what he is: a heartless and unrepentant cop killer.

I was so disturbed by this story that I felt compelled to introduce legislation, not just 2 weeks ago, but back in May, to condemn the decision of the city of St. Denis to name a street after this criminal and to urge them to immediately rename the street. If such an action is not taken, the legislation calls on the Government of France to correct the ill-conceived decision of the city and of the municipal government.

Finally, the bill condemns the murder of Daniel Faulkner, and recognizes the sacrifice and commitment law enforcement officers across the world show each day in securing the public safety and the order of the law. I also want to recognize representatives of the law enforcement community who have worked tirelessly to tell Danny Faulkner's story and to pursue justice in his case, including the Philadelphia FOP and its president, Bobby Eddis; the Pennsylvania FOP, and its national organization.

Mr. Speaker, Mumia Abu-Jamal is not a political prisoner. He is a murderer with a penchant for public relations. He has been able to sway extreme liberal and Socialist groups to his side in a sick effort to ride his story of political oppression to freedom. Apparently, the city government of St. Denis has swallowed this lie, hook, line and sinker. It is an affront to Officer Daniel Faulkner's memory, to his widow Maureen, and everyone who puts on a uniform.

As we approach the 25th anniversary of Officer Faulkner's murder, I call on all my colleagues to join me in support of this legislation. We must stand together as one and send a strong message to the world that cop killers deserve to be punished, not to be celebrated.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

http://thomas.loc.gov/