[NYTr] Media: Ensure Fair Covg of Mumia on "The Today Show" Dec 6, 2007 Date: Thu, 22 Nov 2007 15:34:58 -0600 (CST) Via NY Transfer News Collective * All the News that Doesn't Fit sent by Joan Malerich [Please take a few minutes to defend Mumia Abu Jamal, the voice of the voiceless, who continues to fight for his freedom and to educate the rest of us about global imperialism from his death row cell. If we don't stand up for leaders like Mumia, then we certainly cannot count on anyone standing up for us if and when we are unjustly arrested and /or imprisoned. -JM] Dissident Voice - Nov 21, 2007 http://www.dissidentvoice.org/2007/11/ensure-fairness-for-mumia-abu-jamal-on-nbcs-the-today-show/ Action Alert Ensure Fairness for Mumia Abu-Jamal on NBCbs "The Today Show!" by Hans Bennett On Dec. 6, NBCbs The Today Show intends to air a show about Michael Smerconish and Maureen Faulknerbs new book Murdered By Mumia. According to the announcement on Michael Smerconishbs website, the show is planning to feature both Smerconish and Faulkner as guests. The International Concerned Family and Friends of Mumia Abu-Jamal, Journalists for Mumia, and Educators for Mumia 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, accompanied by an extensive informational press pack 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 Journalists for Mumia Abu-Jamal Educators for Mumia Abu-Jamal http://www.FreeMumia.com http://www.Abu-Jamal-News.com http://www.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 Faulknerbs 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-Jamalbs innocence. One of these developments centers on extraordinary photos of the 1981 crime scene taken by Philadelphia-based press photographer Pedro Polakoff that reveal manipulation of evidence, and completely contradict the prosecutionbs case, including Officer James Forbesb testimony that he properly handled both Abu-Jamalbs and Faulknerbs 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 prosecutionbs 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 bnewsb regarding the Abu-Jamal case, arguably requires providing Today Show viewers with information evidencing Mr. Abu-Jamalbs 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 bstoryb 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 bfry the nigger,b 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-Jamalbs 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-Jamalbs alleged bhospital confession,b ballistics evidence, and the testimony of Veronica Jones, 5) Recent police intimidation of Abu-Jamalbs supporters, including reported death threats against Sgt. DeLacy Davis, of Black Cops Against Police Brutality, and more. Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, [Hans Bennett is a Philadelphia-based photo-journalist who has been documenting the movement to free Mumia Abu-Jamal and all political prisoners for over five years. Read other articles by Hans, or visit Hans's website at http://www.insubordination.blogspot.com/ ] * ================================================================= NY Transfer News Collective * A Service of Blythe Systems Since 1985 - Information for the Rest of Us Our main website: http://www.blythe.org List Archives: http://blythe-systems.com/pipermail/nytr/ Subscribe: http://blythe-systems.com/mailman/listinfo/nytr =================================================================