A Wonderful Un-Biased book. Review on Executing Justice - Daniel R. Williams

Executing Justice by Daniel R. Williams is the inside account of the case of Mumia Abu-Jamal. Mumia, as he is known to his supporters, is an award winning journalist and author of three well-received books and many essays. He is also a death-row inmate, awaiting execution in Pennsylvania for allegedly killing a police officer in 1981.

Mumia has become known all over the world because of his shocking accounts of one of our many death rows, where our thrown away, no good fellow citizens await death by decree of a jury of their peers. Many have no doubts in their minds that Mumia is guilty, as he was found only a few feet from the downed police officer, with a bullet from the officers police issued revolver in his chest. Witnesses testified at his trial that they saw Mumia shoot Daniel Faulkner, and without deliberating for a terribly long time, the jury found him guilty of first degree murder, sentencing him to death. Mumia was not just any man. He was an award winning journalist, and a supporter of the radical MOVE organization that ignited much controversy in the years before Mumia’s incarceration, because of conflicts with the police. Nine MOVE members were indicted and convicted for the killing of a police officer in 1980, and police were recorded by media beating MOVE members in retaliation.

Mumia’s supporters say that Mumia was framed because he publicly supported MOVE, and was a big adversary to the police in his reports of their brutality. In the justice system, the case of Mumia Abu-Jamal was never a controversy. As the prosecutor Mcgill put it, “It was an open and shut case.” For 20 years, Mumia appealed and appealed, but until December of 2001, he sat on death row awaiting his death. Last month, a judge ordered the re-sentencing of Mumia. As of know, Mumia is serving out a life term, but his life will not be taken from him. There has been much controversy around the case of Mumia. Protests around the world have sprung up, some inciting riots. Famous people have campaigned for his release, including the politically active band Rage Against the Machine who held a concert to raise money for his appeals process. These millions of people who believe so strongly in Mumia’s innocence are not basing their claims on mere hatred for the government of the US, or its judicial system. There are many holes in the case, and frankly after reading this book by the defense attorney for Mumia through the 90’s, I am quite shocked that he is not given a new trial. What makes Executing Justice such a fabulous and convincing read, is the author’s objectiveness towards the case.

After reading much of Mumia’s writings, and that of those in opposition to Mumia, namely the family of Daniel Faulkner, I have not found such an unbiased account of the facts of the case. Mr. Williams shows all the strengths and weaknesses of the case, including error in the part of the nearly everybody from the officers who investigated the case, to the State appointed Defense Attorney who served as Mumia’s counsel during some of his most trying years. Williams weaves the facts together in an astute way, whilst providing eloquent descriptions of the many adversaries, and the events of the case. While Williams may have been the lead counsel for the defendant, he has managed to provide unbiased information of the case. Williams, like any good lawyer, does not campaign for Mumia’s innocence, for there is no way for him to tell if Mumia is guilty or innocence. He simply provides the facts of the case, including every single bit of damning evidence and testimony, and shows the many cracks in the case that would make anyone have doubts of Mumia’s guilt.

As Salman Rushdie eloquently put it, <i>“I have no idea whether Mumia Abu-Jamal is innocent or guilty. What I know is that the process by which he was found guilty is deeply flawed.” </i> While this book provides an excellent account of the facts of the case, including the many holes that cast doubt on what was once an “open and shut” case, I would still recommend studying some sort of account of the case from the other side. I recommend this book highly to anyone interested in the case of Mumia Abu-Jamal, as an incredible un-biased look at the matter, but one must always look at both sides.

There are many websites devoted to the case on both sides of the spectrum. Mumia.org is dedicated to freeing Mumia, and provides a strong look at the crimes committed against African Americans in the Judicial system, although none of them as high profile as Mumia. On the other side, danielfaulkner.com provides an excellent look at the case facts supporting the guilt of Mumia. I was particularly impressed with the Daniel Faulkner site in their ability to refute many of the claims made by the defense team of Mumia, but this book Executing Justice brings new facts to the case that I have not found any reason to disregard.

Daniel R. Williams has done an excellent job in providing a book that can educate the reader on the entire case, in a way that can be trusted. While he does show reasons for doubt in the conviction of Mumia, it is only based on true facts. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the Justice system, as it provides an excellent look at what can go wrong in a trial. In the shadow of Rushdie’s fine quote, I too do not know what happened on the morning of Deceber 9, 1981, all I know is that in the light of the evidence the defense team is presenting, Mumia deserves a new trial. In the words of our founding fathers, “It is better a thousand guilty men walk free than an innocent man be punished.” Executing Justice has generated doubts in my mind as to the guilt of Mumia, and if there is any doubt as to his guilt, he should not be where he is.

This book will give you everything there is to know about the case, in a skillfully written, entrancing manner that will have you hooked until the very end.