Developing-the-Dominant-Narrative-of-Mumia-Abu-Jamal-1

And while mainstream print continued to assail the public with bylines pronouncing unquestionable guilt, alternative papers, which typically reach a much narrower readership, focus their

Senior Thesis Barrie M Adleberg

Advisor: Dr Joseph Richardson, Professor African- American Studies,

University of Maryland, College Park

as a taxi cab driver Following his arrest he was suddenly transformed into a political prisoner, cop killer, martyr, and threat to the free world The culmination of all these factors resulted in his indictment of guilt by the media long before the criminal justice system delivered its ruling

On the night of December 9, 1981 an altercation left 26 year old Police Officer Daniel Faulkner with a fatal gunshot to the head and political journalist Mumia Abu-Jamal in critical condition from bullet wounds The details surrounding the altercation, aswell as forensics extracted in the autopsy and witnesses to the incident, are all subjective depending on the source The news articles documenting the events of this tragic night provide contradictory character analyses of the slain officer and the radical journalist In many respects, it is through the lens of Philadelphia print media that the populace has come to understand the case of Mumia Abu- Jamal While mainstream papers convicted him as a cop-killer months before his June 1982 trial, alternative sources continued to demand due process

In the case study of Mumia-Abu Jamal, the perspectives presented by

Philadelphian mainstream and alternative media are divergent in their representations of the same man The alternative and national media provide two contrasting portraits of Mumia Abu- Jamal: one a Nationalist political prisoner and the other an unruly black cop killer This thesis will explore the influence of Philadelphia print media coverage in sculpting Mumia’s public identity, by investigating several questions: 1) How did the Philadelphia municipality initially react to his incarceration and subsequent appeals? 2)

To what extent has each media source illuminated race politics? 3) To what extent did Mumia’s role as an author and journalist effect his public perception? This thesis will illuminate the relationship between race, politics, and journalism

Historical Background: Mumia v the Philadelphia Police Department

Mumia Abu-Jamal has been confined to a Pennsylvania state cell for 26 years His incarceration in 1982 for allegedly murdering Officer Daniel Faulkner sparked both local and international controversy and his case continues to generate scrutiny and

attention to social justice issues often propagated by the media, political activists, and Mumia’s own commentary on systemic oppression This murder case is one of the most widely publicized death row cases in the past decades in America Mumia has been placed on and taken off of death row three times Primarily as a response to political pressure and swaying public opinion, this see-saw of fatality has grabbed the interest of many political agencies, activists, journalists, and citizens His incarceration has spurred criticism of the United States penal system, questioning the role of capital punishment in this country Mumia’s case stretches beyond the confines of guilt vs innocence His case

and imprisonment are illustrative of two oppositional movements One movement is working to silence Black Nationalist resistance by amplifying race politics The second movement exposes the corruption in Mumia’s trial and ongoing racism that continues to impede his pursuit of vindication

The print sources examined in this thesis study represent several of the media outlets in Philadelphia which framed the details of Mumia’s arrest, incarceration, and ongoing case The use of print media news often subliminally encourages readers to internalize the news with biases It is the evolution of journalism from perceived

impartial fact to a medium of communication impressionable to societal influence that has outlined the discourse on how media shapes public opinion Berkowitz (1997) contends, journalists are not objective bearers of truth, but are instead makers of a product shaped through a variety of social forces The mainstream print media often represents the ideals and opinions of the status-quo, powerful corporations, and

government entities including the police force In the Philadelphia mainstream print media, Mumia has been depicted as a cop-killer, racist, and social deviant And while mainstream print continued to assail the public with bylines pronouncing unquestionable guilt, alternative papers, which typically reach a much narrower readership, focus their commentary on examining nuances which question the print media’s dominant narrative

of the case

Chapter 2

Literature Review

The role of media in shaping public opinion is a study that revolves around the dynamic relationship between the news source and its readership Biases in print have the potential to translate to widespread public sentiment based on the dissemination of media outlets The literature examined in this section explores the role of media in shaping the perceptions of a concentrated populace by analyzing ideological biases, journalistic objectivity, article framing, and resonance in print that contribute to the creation of a dominant narrative and often to propagate popular myth Philadelphia print media coverage of Mumia Abu- Jamal is analyzed as a case study exposing corruption in journalistic objectivity in a standardized mainstream narrative that permeated public consciousness

Scholars recognize and understand the evolving notion that “People’s reasoning about divisive political issues may be shaped by the mass media’s depiction of the issues because both journalistic norms and market forces dampen strong ideological biases within most news organizations”.1 Many critics, including Bennett (1996) note that “Therestriction of media coverage within a narrow liberal- conservative latitude is itself a kind

of status-quo bias”.2 Consequently, there is no definitive method of measuring

journalistic status-quo biases; however the power of journalism is in its ability to shape society and public perception Mead (1925) asserts news is a way in which people create

1 Nelson, Thomas E., Rosalee A Clawson, and Zoe M Oxley 1997 “Media Framing of a Civil Liberties

Conflict and Its Effect on Tolerance.” American Political Science Review 91(Sept):567-583.

2 Ibid., 1997.

order out of disorder by transforming knowing into telling.3 Print media is written authority as the structure in which fact is served to the public Soloski (1989) purports that “Events can be safely presented as a series of facts that require no explanation of their political significance by presenting the news as a series of facts”.4 Therefore, the theories referenced in this study construct the discourse on how underlying social

agendas are embedded in the news delivered to the public as fact

Analyzing Ideological biases

Lule (1995) contends local news implicitly traces the symbolic boundaries of the community.5 As members of society who author this thought shaping mechanism, local news reporters are thus involved in the cyclical relationship of the story teller and

receiver Soloski (1989) debates that “While it is true that news legitimizes and supports the existing politico-economic system, it is not true that journalists’ selection of news stories reflects a conscious desire on their part to report the news in such a way that the status-quo is maintained”.6 Gans and Tuchman (1978,1979) substantiate Soloski’s claim

by presenting the natural place to find newsworthy sources will be in the power structure

of society because journalists see the current politico-economic system as a naturally occurring state of affairs.7 Journalists are just as likely to be receptors to news as general

3 Bird, S Elizabeth and Robert W Dardenne 1997.“Myth, Chronicle and Story: Exploring the Narraive

Qualities of News.” In Social Meanings of News: A Text-Reader, edited by D Berkowitz, 333-347

Thousand Oaks: Sage.

4 Soloski, John 1989 “News Reporting and Professionalism: Some Constraints on the Reporting of the

News.” In Social Meanings of News: A Text-Reader, edited by D Berkowitz, 138-152 Thousand Oaks:

Sage, pg 144.

5 Lule, Jack 1995 “The Rape of Mike Tyson: Race, the Press, and Symbolic Types.” In

Social Meanings of News: A Text-Reader, edited by D Berkowitz, 376-392 Thousand Oaks: Sage, pg 380.

6 Soloski, 1989, pg 143.

7 Soloski, 1989, pg 144.

body citizens Therefore, the facts presented in mainstream print are automatically contorted by an objective perspective because journalists are human Sears (1988) offerscommentary on an example of racism embedded in print Sears (1988) asserts, “One hallmark of modern racism is that overly racist rhetoric often is absent while muted racistbeliefs are proffered in shadows and shades of expression”.8 And because of the

subliminal bias of the writer, Lule (1995) pronounces, “Stereotypes precede reason and thus unavoidably shapes the story of the story teller”.9

Journalistic objectivity

Berkowitz (1997) claims that because news is the result of social processes, then journalists can never discard their socially learned beliefs about society and how the world works.10 He builds this theory on the pretense that journalists are not objective bearers of truth, but are instead makers of a product shaped through a variety of social forces.11 Roscho (1975) discusses journalistic integrity “For journalists in the United States, objectivity is the most important professional norm, and from it flows more specific aspects of news professionalism such as news judgment, the selection of sources and the structure of news beats Objectivity does not reside in news stories themselves; rather, it resides in the behavior of the journalists.” Functioning under the assumption that journalists act in ways that allow them to report the news objectively, the definition

of objectivity changes meaning in order to conform to evolving practice that places

8 Lule, 1995, pg 377.

9 Lule, 1995, pg 379.

10 Berkowitz, Dan 1997 Social Meanings of News: A Text-Reader Thousand Oaks: Sage, pg xii.

11 Berkowitz, 1997, pg xiv.

primary importance on reporting with balance rather than impartial observation.12 News has become the formulaic product of news assemblers, rather than the observations of impartial writers Berkowitz (1997) recognizes this transition; he suggests, “The work of news assemblers invokes taking cues from news promoters to select which occurrences should be acknowledged as ‘really happening’ When news is viewed this way, it

becomes not an objective reality about discrete events but instead an effort to present one version of reality as news rather than another”.13

Article framing

Perspective, or the lens by which news is read, is a tool used to sculpt public perceptions Berkowitz (1997) describes the study of news like viewing a hologram: “A person can get closer or farther away A person can stand in different places Each new perspective will reveal a different aspect of the same holographic picture There is no way, though, that that a person can find a single vantage point where the entire hologram can be viewed all at once”.14 But if only one view is portrayed, and the other sides are inaccessible, then the hologram becomes one- dimensional The dimension in which the story is explored and relayed to the public is its frame Nelson, Clawson, and Oxley (1997) examine the effects of framing media content “By framing social and political issues in specific ways, news organizations declare the underlying causes and likely consequences of a problem and establish criteria for evaluating potential remedies for the problem”.15 Framing provides focus by narrowing the dimension of the issue to conjure a

more authoritative rather than investigative ethos Nelson, Clawson, and Oxley (1997) also contend, “Frames shape individual understanding and opinion concerning an issue

by stressing specific elements or features of the broader controversy” That which is omitted is often as influential as what is printed in the paper

Resonance

Report and repeat journalism is the result of the emergence of streamlined news This method impedes upon the development of fresh angles and works to engrain a more focused narrative in the public discourse Berkowitz (1997) discusses this journalistic practice in terms of productivity and organizational expectations He writes, “Routine becomes a way of predictability in accomplishing work But because newsroom policy is quite different, the organization’s culture produces an oppositional slant Routines thus become a kind of strategic insurance for producing this alternative reality”.16 Because news is fast paced and inconclusive like an open ended story, as it conveys daily events tothe public, newsworkers attempt to meet their deadlines by anticipating or ‘typifying’ the work rhythms required to gather information and produce a story.17 Bird and Dardenne (1997) speak to the effects of repetition on the narrative presented “Much of the

mythical quality of news derives from resonance, the feeling that we have written or read the same stories over and over again”.18 Resonance in print media has the ability to turn news into popular myth publicly revered as fact

Propagation of Popular Myth

16 Berkowitz, 1997, pg 171.

17 Berkowitz, 1997, pg 363.

18 Bird and Dardenne, 1997, pg 338.

As repetition in the news turns news into common knowledge, the popular myth isdeveloped Barthes (1972,1991) pronounced, “Myth hides nothing and flaunts nothing:

it distorts, myth is neither a lie nor a confession: it is an inflexion”.19 Bird and Dardenne (1997) suggest, “One of the most productive ways to see news is to consider it as a myth,

a standpoint that dissolves the distinction between entertainment and information”.20 Myths must be repeated to be believed Hall (1984) expands upon this claim, “Myth has meaning only in the telling; cultural themes and values exist only if they are

communicated Obviously, there is no single myth or narrative that is merely repeated, yet to continue to have power, myths must be constantly retold Rather, themes are rearticulated and reinterpreted over time, themes that are derived from culture and that feed back into it Stories are not reinvented every time the need arises; instead, you constantly draw on the inventory of discourse which [has] been established overtime”.21

The Creation of a Dominant Narrative

Bird and Dardenne (1997) affirm that the journalistic pretense is maintained Every news story springs anew from the facts of the event being recorded “Journalists prefer to see this as a vindication of objective reporting rather than the triumph of

formulaic narrative construction Rhetorical and structural devices are seen simply as methods to convey information accurately and effectively”.22 But as examined in the coverage of the case of Mumia Abu- Jamal, much of the mainstream stories center around

19Maurantonio, Nicole 2008 Justice for Daniel Faulkner?: History, Memory, and Police Identity Journal

of Communication Inquiry 32:43.

20 Bird and Dardenne, 1997, pg 336.

21 Ibid., 1997, pg 337.

22 Ibid., 1997, pg 333.

one dominant narrative So what of the interplay between mythic news and reality? Bird and Dardenne (1997) advocate that considering news as narrative does not negate the value of considering news as corresponding with outside reality, as affecting or being affected by society, as being a product of journalists or of bureaucratic organization, but itdoes introduce another dimension to news, one in which the stories of news transcend their traditional functions of informing and explaining”.23 Ricoeur (1981) equated the study of news to the study of history, where past events are reconstructed with artificial boundaries with the intent of “constructing meaningful totalities out of scattered

events”.24 Bird and Dardenne (1997) build on this theory and surmise that rather than considering accuracy of facts and their correspondence with an outside reality, we can consider them as contributing to the ongoing narrative

Even though reality is subjective, Bird and Dardenne (1997) also assert that the dominant narrative is the backdrop against which all other stories are laid This backdrop

is embedded within popularized stereotypes Lule (1995) argues that stereotypes offer a system for selecting information News stories can thus be formed before they are

gathered.25 This is a particularly salient point in the Mumia case

News and Collective Memory

Halbwachs (1992) defines memory as “An entity constructed within a particular social context that evolves over time”.26 Using this definition as framework, Berkowitz

23 Ibid., 1997, pg 335.

24 Ibid., 1997, pg 336.

25 Lule, 1995, pg 391.

26 Maurantonio, 2008.

(1997) studied how news is received and remembered He found that news stories must resonate with stories that society believes about itself In essence, rather than working towards change, news tends to reproduce the existing social structure.27 Likewise, Ettema(1990) examines the role of press rites in mediating social drama The study shows how such rites may be a site of cultural and political struggle and suggests print media works

to maintain social stability.28 Both studies show the public was more comfortable with news that supported pre-disposed beliefs rather than new information, proving the status-quo is upheld These studies reveal the reciprocal role media has in shaping public

opinion and that the public has in shaping news coverage

Nicole Maurantonio’s 2008 dissertation: Justice for Daniel Faulkner? History, Memory, and Political Identity, analyzes the relationship between history and memory as

well as mediating the role of the myth in the publicity surrounding Officer Faulkner’s murder Maurantonio (2008) references the narrative of Mumia Abu- Jamal and Daniel Faulkner in order to explore the tensions between institutional “official” memory and the

“popular” counterpart as propagated and understood by activists, news organizations, the police force, and citizens Competing discourses have circulated among these circles as a result Maurantonio (2008) writes, “It is the telling, and retelling of the myth of Daniel Faulkner that imbues it with particular meaning for Philadelphia police officers”

(Maurantonio 2008) Her dissertation particularly highlights the continual challenges to Faulkner’s memory, intensified by Abu- Jamal’s appeals and the protests of his

supporters In response, the reinstating of the myth of Faulkner as sacrificial hero

27 Berkowitz, 1995, pg 497.

28 Ettema, James Stewart 1990 “Press Rites and race Relations: A study of Mass-Mediated Ritual.” In

Social Meanings of News: A Text-Reader, edited by D Berkowitz, 457-480 Thousand Oaks: Sage, pg 462.

became even more salient among Philadelphia police officers whose collective identity largely rests on the myth’s persistence.29 This myth or devotion to the narrative

pronouncing Mumia’s guilt upholds the morale of the current police force because

Faulkner’s memory is so embedded in the history that prescribes purpose to the role of a police officer Maurantonio (2008) delves deeper into the relationship between memory and collective identity as expressed in the print media, “It was the writing and rewriting

of Faulkner’s memory that ensured that police officers would view the incident as a tragicflashpoint within department history- a myth that would reassert the identity of the

Philadelphia police department News reported by the Philadelphia Inquirer and the Philadelphia Daily News were used to provide context to police discourse”.30

Maurantonio (2008) credits news organizations for playing a fundamental role in

covering stories and conveying information that elevated the case to national prominence

Chapter 3

Research Methodology

Through the method of content analysis of Philadelphia’s print media, the

research methodology for this thesis study will examine how the Philadelphia print mediaframed public perception of Mumia Abu-Jamal Based on the understanding that

different papers generate different readerships, my primary print sources used for analysiswere chosen to create a balanced discourse on the information disseminated to the

Philadelphia populace I have conducted archival research in five of Philadelphia’s

newspapers: The Philadelphia Daily News, the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Philadelphia

29 Maurantonio, 2008.

30 Ibid., 2008, p 49.

Bulletin, the Philadelphia Tribune, and the Philadelphia City Paper Each of these

sources appeals to a different demographic of Philadelphia’s often racially and economically segmented public Each of these sources also carries certain biases based

socio-on their demographic appeal These “in between the lines” slants csocio-ontribute to the public’s perception of Mumia Abu- Jamal, his trial, and court appeals I selected 10 articles from three landmark time periods The articles selected for my analysis were chosen to best represent divergent viewpoints

Philadelphia Mainstream Print Media:

The Philadelphia Daily News

This publication is publicly recognized as a city tabloid newspaper It began publishing on March 31, 1925 In its early years, it was dominated by crime stories, sports and sensationalism By 1930, daily circulation of the morning paper exceeded 200,000 In 1954 the paper was sold to Matthew McCloskey, a contractor and treasurer

of the Pennsylvania Democratic Party In 1957, McCloskey sold the paper to Walter

Annenberg, publisher of The Philadelphia Inquirer.31 Annenberg modified the

distribution and made the tabloid into an afternoon paper In 1969, Annenberg sold both

papers to Knight Newspapers Inc., which eventually became Knight Ridder following a

merger.32 The Daily News has since transformed their image to be taken more seriously

with daily morning distribution

31 The Philadelphia Daily News Online Retrieved November 13, 2007, from

http://www.philly.com/dailynews/

32 Brubaker, Harold and Joseph N DiStefano “Local group buys Inquirer, Daily News, and Philly.com.”

The Philadelphia Inquirer Philadelphia, PA, 23 May 2006.

The Philadelphia Inquirer

This publication is a daily morning newspaper that serves the Philadelphia,

Pennsylvania area The newspaper began production in June 1829 as The Pennsylvania Inquirer and is currently the third oldest surviving daily newspaper in the United States.33

Owned by the local group Philadelphia Media Holdings L.L.C., The Inquirer has the

tenth largest weekly U.S newspaper circulation, and has won eighteen Pulitzer Prizes.34

The Inquirer first became a major newspaper during the American Civil War when The Inquirer's war coverage was popular on both sides of the conflict Although this paper was founded in support of the Democratic Party, The Inquirer's political affiliation

eventually shifted towards the Whig Party and then the Republican Party before officiallybecoming politically independent in the middle of the 20th century.35 The prestige The Inquirer achieved in the 1980s has mostly disappeared because of cost-cutting and a shift

of focus to more local coverage Nonetheless, it remains a central news source for Philadelphians

The Bulletin

The Philadelphia Bulletin was a daily evening newspaper published from 1847 to

1982 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania It was the largest circulation newspaper in

Philadelphia for 76 years and was once the largest evening newspaper in the United States, widely known for its slogan: “In Philadelphia, nearly everybody reads The

33Wilkinson, Gerry “The History of the Philadelphia Inquirer.” Philadelphia Press Association Retrieved

Bulletin.” As readers and advertisers moved from the city to the suburbs, The Bulletin

attempted to follow It introduced regional editions for four suburban counties and leased

a plant in southern New Jersey to print a state edition.36 Reporters attended school and county meetings, but their efforts could not match the combined resources of the smaller suburban dailies. The Bulletin also faced difficulties that plagued all big-city evening

newspapers: Late afternoon traffic made distribution more costly than for morning

papers Also, The Bulletin faced greater competition from television evening newscasts The Bulletin's biggest competitor that drove it out of print was the morning Philadelphia Inquirer By 1982, The Inquirer’s was receiving 60 percent of the city’s newspaper advertising revenue compared to The Bulletin's 24 percent share.37 Today, the Bulletin has resurfaced and started distribution once again, however, it has not received nearly the same level of readership it had in the past

Philadelphia Alternative Print Media:

The Philadelphia Tribune

This publication primarily targets the African- American community Published Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday, it is the oldest continually running African-American newspaper in the United States Established in 1884, The

Philadelphia Tribune also publishes the Tribune Magazine, Entertainment Now!,

36Castro, Janice “Last Rites for a Proud Paper.” Time: 8 February 1982.

37Henry III, William A “The Ten Best U.S Dailies.” Time: 30 April 1984.

Sojourner, The Learning Key, and The Sunday Tribune The Tribune has a readership of

223,500, and is mostly read by people living in the Philadelphia-Camden Metro Area.38

Philadelphia City Paper

This publication was founded in November of 1981 The City Paper is dispersed

across area businesses and high-traffic areas in Philadelphia, Montgomery, Chester,

Bucks & Delaware Counties, South Jersey and Delaware The City Paper is a

controlled-circulation newspaper with free distribution every Thursday morning to over 2,000 locations.39 Approximately one-third of its papers are distributed through newspaper boxes; the other two-thirds are distributed in office and apartment buildings and in high-traffic retail locations which include restaurants, entertainment spots and other public places

The Philadelphia Daily News, Philadelphia Inquirer, and Philadelphia Bulletin are

daily papers that are considered mainstream in this study Mainstream papers reach the broadest constituency, charge for subscription, and accept contributions from the

Associated Press These papers, while specific to Philadelphia, often maintain a national

focus Alternative Philadelphia papers such as The Philadelphia Tribune and The

Philadelphia City Paper reach and targeted a more specific readership The Tribune is a

new source that focuses on covering issues in the African- American community in Philadelphia The City Paper also targets specific readership comprised of college

38The Philadelphia Tribune Online Retrieved November 13, 2007, from

http://www.phila-tribune.com/

39The Philadelphia CityPaper Online Retrieved November 13, 2007, from

http://www.citypaper.net/

students, the gay community, college educated, progressive, multi-ethnic communities, and the arts scene Both are free of charge

This study is an analysis of articles that best represent the divergent views on Mumia Abu-Jamal and his trial disseminated through print media The time span of my content analysis encompasses articles published directly following the December 9, 1981 murder of Faulkner by the alleged assailant Abu-Jamal, and the print news leading up to Mumia’s first trial in June 1982 My analysis will examine 1995 as the second focus period In 1995, Governor Tom Ridge sentenced Mumia to death At the time of the sentencing, Mumia had served 13 years in a federal penitentiary and had published the first of his three novels The Free Mumia movement, an activist movement dedicated to exposing the corruption of justice in Mumia’s sentencing, rallied for Mumia’s innocence and case acquittal By 1995, this movement had gained much international recognition and momentum This movement significantly influenced alternative news The last and most recent landmark date is 2007 when Mumia’s appealed to the circuit court of appeals with new evidence in his case Evaluating the context generated by mainstream and alternative print media at these important times and contrasting the segmented support and opposition within different readership demographics will reveal the impact

Philadelphia print media had on defining contrasting public perceptions of Mumia Jamal

Abu-A comparative study of mainstream articles v their alternative counterparts creates a contrasting narrative of the Mumia case In order to better understand the influence of Philadelphia print sources primary in shaping public opinion, I conducted interviews with

two staff writers From the Philadelphia Inquirer (mainstream print) I chose to interview

staff writer Emilie Lounsberry I also interviewed writer Mr Linn Washington from the

Philadelphia Tribune to provide an alternative perspective on the Mumia case These

interviews were used to explore the political networks, ideologies, and interests these newspapers represent Both staff writers have covered the Mumia case These interviewsalso convey perceptions of these staff writers as citizens, who have also witnessed the evolution and coverage of his case The interview instrument was designed to explore thefollowing issues:

1 How has the coverage of the Mumia case in mainstream print media evolved from Mumia’s incarceration in 1982 to the present?

2 Do you feel like your coverage of the case is neutral or is it framed by the

political position of the newspaper?

3 How is the city of Philadelphia divided in support and opposition of Mumia?

4 What does the Mumia Abu Jamal’s case represent in terms of race, politics, and public opinion? Is he a symbolic Philadelphia icon?

5 What effect has Maureen Faulkner and her publicity surrounding the case and opposition to appeals had on shaping public opinion?

6 Has Mumia’s role as a journalist influenced print media’s narrative in shaping public perception?

To better understand the interplay between media and politics, I reviewed whether journalistic biases can be averted by journalists even in a controversial socio-political climate Many of my secondary sources are journalists relaying their perspectives on the role of political journalism and its potential influence The interviews with Mr

Washington and Ms Lounsberry reveal two divergent journalistic beliefs of what role newspapers should play in deconstructing and commenting on the dominant narrative as developed after years of news coverage One journalistic camp is wed to the philosophy that news is the presentation of popularly understood fact for public education While the

other camp has grown jaded and frustrated by the trend of “report and repeat” news coverage that fails to truly educate the populace on dynamic issues and relies on

resonance to deliver narrowly reported stories Commentary on the role media should ideally play as well as opinions on the role it has played in race politics and perpetuating popular myth is central to my study

Navigating Anticipated Problems:

At the onset of my data collection problems with accessing newspaper archives

immediately surfaced Full text articles from the Philadelphia Daily News and

Philadelphia Inquirer were not available online, these papers only provided abstracts

And as for alternative papers, The Philadelphia Tribune does not have online archives andafter making several calls to their Philadelphia headquarters I was told repeatedly that

student access to office archives was restricted I was able to access The Philadelphia CityPaper archives online; however their archives began in 1995 Therefore, my

research plan was severely limited until I found the additional resources at the

Philadelphia free library Through my archival research at the Philadelphia Free Library Iretrieved all Tribune, Daily News, and Inquirer archives in full text on preserved

microfilm

From my analysis of the articles, I evaluated which authors I thought would lend the most interesting opinions about the case The results of my analysis led to contacting

Emile Lounsberry from the Philadelphia Inquirer whose association with Mumia

coverage started in the wake of his 2007 request for a court appeal On the contrary, I

found a litany of articles written by Mr Linn Washington, of the Philadelphia Tribune

Mr Washington’s articles on the case first appeared as a contributing writer in a Daily News article published in 1981 He eventually authored his own news stories on the case

in 1989 Mr Washington’s writings focused on the legal aspects of Mumia’s

incarceration, with an emphasis on the push for re-trial Though I feared getting in contact with these two journalists would be difficult, they were both very open to sharing their experiences on the case Mr Washington directed me to the Urban Archives of Temple University’s Journalism Department where I discovered the pivotal contribution

of the Philadelphia Bulletin before it went out of print in 1982 Mr Washington also

directed my attention to the opinion columns of Claude Lewis and Craig Ammerman in

the Bulletin, whose works raised much controversy at the time of publication

Though I consulted print news articles as primary sources for analysis, I must recognize the differing role of staff writers and columnists for these publications Thoughboth texts appear in the paper, columnists are able to take certain liberties that staff writers cannot Newspapers do not officially represent the opinions of columnists and therefore, do not have to print retractions on the opinions conveyed in their discourse I

have referenced three op-ed columnists Claude Lewis of the Philadelphia Bulletin, Craig Ammerman of the Philadelphia Bulletin, and Michael Smerconish of the

Philadelphia Daily News all have offered striking commentary on Mumia’s case and

character Also, another variable to consider is the effect of weekly publications v daily publications in shaping public opinion Weekly publications are a constant source of news and are therefore taken read as a renewed day to day source, and integrated into people’s daily routine, whereas weekly publications have a diminished effect on everydayreaders Another factor is the difference between free v paid subscription papers

Interestingly, the daily paid subscription papers have the widest dissemination and

case gained international attention and alternative sources gained notoriety in the publicdiscourse?

The divergent portrayals of Mumia Abu- Jamal, Cop-killer v Political prisoner are

a result of two longstanding campaigns, inundating the public with conflicting accounts

of Mumia’s character and capacity to commit cold- blooded murder This narrative hasbeen shaped around Mumia’s journalistic works as a political activist, which oftencriticized the police His public perception has been influenced and shaped by hispolitical affiliations such as his involvement in the MOVE rallies and organization andhis early career as Press secretary for the Black Panthers Mumia is demonized by themainstream media for resisting popular modes of dress and faith in the Americangovernment and justice system The articles I evaluated in this study illuminate a tone ofdistrust towards Mumia as if he betrayed his American identity in his pursuit of civilrights Report and repeat journalism40 is employed by mainstream print sources toconsolidate the dominant narrative proclaiming Mumia as an unstable and unruly man ofquestionable patriotism Meanwhile, the discussion present in alternative sourcesconveys a comparative study of Mumia’s character without diverting attention from thepending case and his right to due process

1981/1982

The morning of the arrest of Mumia Abu- Jamal, Officer Daniel Faulkner waspronounced dead and Mumia was fatally wounded That week, a plethora of articleswere published that day and dispersed among the Philadelphia populace

40 Washington, Linn Jr Interview by Barrie Adleberg, 17 January 2008 Interview transcript Adleberg Oral

History Collection, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA.

Philadelphia Daily News journalist Stephen Braun (1981) compiled a seemingly

objective article only hours after Mumia’s arrest with contribution from other journalistswho worked with Mumia, including Linn Washington of the Philadelphia Tribune

Braun’s (1981) article is first published in the Philadelphia Daily News the week after

Faulkner’s death Titled, “A Man of Many Sides”, Braun describes Mumia as a “Blackpanther turned respectable journalist”.41 Even though the title promotes the concept thatMumia is a dynamic character, his most radical attributes are highlighted In the article,Mumia is portrayed narrowly as a dread flaunting, fatigue wearing Black Panther presssecretary

Also in the Philadelphia Daily News staff writer, Christopher Hepp (1981)

published “The Accused Friends Can’t Fathom ‘Brilliant’ Newsman as Murder Suspect”.

This article, points the guilty finger at suspect Mumia Abu- Jamal for the murder ofFaulkner The article represents the facts as they unfold according to the PhiladelphiaPolice Department The author portrays a candid community reaction to the news of

Mumia’s charges “From those who knew him, the adjectives were the same Talented Brilliant Compassionate.”42 The tone seems initially impartial, even borderingsupportive, until Hepp uses intrinsic diction to convey a bias against Mumia Hepp(1981) writes:

“Friends and colleagues of Mumia Abu- Jamal tried vainly to divine what had

happened But this much was clear: The 27-year-old radio newsman had been

41Braun, Stephen “A Man of Many Sides.” The Philadelphia Daily News Philadelphia, PA, 9, December

1981: pg 6.

42Hepp, Christopher “The Accused Friends Can’t Fathom “Brilliant” Newsman as Murder Suspect.” The

Philadelphia Daily News Philadelphia, PA, 10 December 1981: pg 4.

charged with killing a policeman, and Jamal himself was critically wounded Butthese facts offered no explanation, no answer to the question ‘Why?’”43

Hepp attempts to plants seeds in the minds of the readers through his tone and

diction that the facts presented in the case are clear and the only question left is the murder’s motive In terms of motive, Philadelphia Bulletin columnist Claude Lewis

provides an alternpts to provide a motive Lewis, an African- American writer put paperherewrote a piece published December 13, 1981 asserting it is “black rage” that triggered

the police officer’s murder In his article, “Did rage, a black burden, trigger killing?”, Lewis rationalizes the social/ political climate in Philadelphia for a black man that would spawn such a heinous act He points to the separate experience of African- American

citizens and asserts, “The killing of Officer Daniel Faulkner was only a symptom of a dangerous condition that exists throughout this country”.44 Lewis purports that “Rage is

as much a part of most blacks as their skin or their hair”.45 In this assertion, despite its validity and social value, Lewis supports mainstream media’s position on Mumia’s guilt

of murder, and thus furthers the campaign attacking his character Lewis’s columnappeared in the Bulletin three days a week and he was considered the black voice of the

Bulletin

On December 10, 1981, Craig R McCoy published an article in the Bulletin

titled, “Radio reporter kept alive Black Panther views.” This article is a characteranalysis of Mumia, portraying him as a curious personality McCoy writes, “He kept

43 Ibid., 1981.

44Lewis, Claude “Did rage, a black burden, trigger killing?” The Bulletin Philadelphia, PA, 13 December

1981: pg 7.

45 Ibid., 1981.

intact the political ideas that originally attracted him to the Panthers”.46 This association

to the Panthers was not atypical in attaching Mumia to radical politics Aligning Mumiawith the Panthers thus enforces the publicly perceived notion that Mumia is violent andbeholds personal grievances with the police department This discourse, though covert, iscreating the building blocks to assert his guilt He continually emphasizes Abu- Jamal’sfascination with radical back-to-nature groups, including MOVE, further enforcing hisinvolvement in counter mainstream politics McCoy also writes, “He had lost his full-time job and was separated from his wife in the last year”.47 This descript conveys a sense

of instability, and further denigrates his stature as a rational, reputable citizen The articlealso comments that Mumia was named by Philadelphia magazine as one of the ’81 people

to watch in 81 Therefore the reader can surmise, in hindsight, that even before his arrest,Mumia attracted public interest

On December 11th, two articles were published in the Philadelphia Tribune

offering commentary countering the mainstream discourse on Mumia’s arrest thus far

Norris P West published, “Jamal’s mother learned sensitivity from her son,.” In this article West writes, “Family members still refuse to believe reported police accounts and some have obviously distressed about the media’s immediate adoption of them”.48 Thisglimpse into Mumia’s intimate character as known by his family gives him depth,

overlooked by the mainstream characterization of him Jim Davis of the Philadelphia

46McCoy, Craig R “Radio reporter kept alive Black Panther views.” The Bulletin Philadelphia, PA, 10

December 1981: pg A4.

47 Ibid., 1981.

48West, Norris P “Jamal’s mother learned sensitivity from son, 27.” The Philadelphia Tribune

Philadelphia, PA, 11 December 1981: pg 1, 5.

Tribune published a second article that day titled, “Witnesses give conflicting accounts of

actual shooting.” This article offers commentary on the portrayals of both Mumia and

Faulkner Davis asserts Mumia is being “Portrayed as a black militant” and says

“Faulkner is known for his aggressiveness while serving”.49 This article discussesconflicting character testimony, and the onset of division based on differing character

accounts Davis explicitly writes, “The divergence in the character descriptions of these two victims is only the surface of the unanswered questions surrounding the case”.50

The Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News cast an unfavorable shadow on Mumia

by galvanizing Officer Faulkner as the male protagonist struck down in the line of duty

during the altercation that fateful night In 1981, John Woestendiek, Inquirer staff writer

authored the piece, “’He was one of the Best’: Respects for Slain Officer” This articlewas a tribute to Faulkner’s career as a civil servant and emphasizes the impact he had onthe Philadelphia community His memorial, which is highlighted in this text, is used as

an example of his widespread notoriety The author recounts, “The crowd stretched, at one point, to an entire city block - from 63d Street to 64th Street”.51 He also notes that thefuneral was open casket This fact is particularly startling because Office Faulkner wasshot in the face and it was stated in many testimonies that he was unrecognizable Theopen casket was clearly present to generate widespread animosity towards his murderer.The article focuses on memorializing a fallen hero, but also works to contribute to afestering collective animosity towards Mumia

49Davis, Jim “Witnesses give conflicting accounts of actual shooting.” The Philadelphia Tribune

Philadelphia, PA, 11 December 1981: pg 1, 20.

50 Ibid., 1981.

51Woestendiek, John “’He was One of the Best’: Respects for Slain Officer.” The Philadelphia Inquirer

Philadelphia, PA, 14 December 1981: pg B03.

Thomas J Gibbons Jr., another Inquirer journalist contributed to the anti-Mumia sentiment in his article, “Officer’s Widow Recalls Their Last Goodbye Kiss” This article

adds to the collection of articles meant to generate solidarity for the fallen officer, hisfamily, and the virtues he represented before his untimely death Gibbons’ article is apublic interest story with underlying motives It works to unite the city under theassumption that Officer Faulkner was viciously attacked which builds hostility towardshis killer This article is character commentary The dramatic diction Gibbons employscompels the reader to be personally affected by his wife’s loss Maureen Faulkner is a

young woman whose struggle is relatable Gibbons writes, “Trauma and suddenness of the events that began early on a freezing morning 11 days ago are beginning to subside”.52 He depicts the numbing effects of lost love and in doing so Officer Faulknerand his involvement in the confrontation the night of December 9th is diluted by pity forhis loving partner After publishing a series of these human interest pieces, building apersona of purity and righteousness it would be very hard for the court to suggest thatFaulkner was involved in police corruption which may have lead to his death

Because of the looming racial division in the city heightened by the mainstream

media’s expressed sympathy for the police department, The Bulletin printed an opinion column titled “Black and White issues in a policeman’s death” under a section of the Bulletin entitled: Your Voices This op-ed article was published on the 26th of December

In this op-ed article, the Association of Black Journalists announced a disclaimer,

separating themselves from the listed members of the community coalition protestingMumia’s arrest This motion of division undermined solidarity among Mumia supporters

52Gibbons, Thomas J Jr “OFFICER’S WIDOW RECALLS THEIR LAST GOODBYE KISS.” The

Philadelphia Inquirer Philadelphia, PA, 20 December 1981: pg B01.

attempting to rally momentum as a reminder to the public that Mumia was not guilty untilproven so by a court of law and therefore deserved all the rights to a fair trial, regardless

of the intense emotions surrounding his conviction This column also containedresponses to Claude Lewis’s controversial column discussed before The work of themedia in contributing to the racial division falls under scrutiny here, as an anonymous

member of the community writes, “Over the years there has been a steady erosion of objectivity among many journalists”.53

Alongside the campaign to galvanize Officer Faulkner in print and by extension,

the public’s perception, the Philadelphia Inquirer published a number of articles that

demonized Mumia as unconventional and fanatical On December 28, 1981, RussellCooke wrote the piece, “Jamal Shuns Treatment, Doctor Says” This account offersportrayals of Mumia in the initial wake of Daniel Faulkner’s death that are veryinsensitive This article alleges how Mumia refused treatment for his wounds In Cooke’sarticle, Mumia is presented as a paranoid, social deviant The language used to describehim in the article highlights Mumia’s alternative, anti-mainstream lifestyle emphasizinghis career as a free-lance radio reporter which contributes to framing his image of as

“free-lance” lifestyle This image is juxtaposed with mainstream media’s portrayal ofDaniel Faulkner as a stable police office who believed in protecting justice and the wifewho loved him This article not only portrays Mumia as deviant, he is also portrayed asunstable and irrational The article also states that Mumia suffered wounds in the gunfire

“exchange” Faulkner which assumes he was the man who shot Faulkner Though the

53“Black and White issues in a policeman’s death.” The Bulletin: Your Voices Philadelphia, PA, 26

December 1981: pg 27-A.

court had not yet delivered a verdict based on the forensic evidence of the case, the mediaused their narratives on these two men to frame guilt and innocence

Another article titled, “Woman, Saying She’s Jamal’s Wife, Contends he was Beaten by the Police” not only condemns Mumia but discredits all those associated with

him This article published on January 5, 1982 is reflective of how deviant Mumia andthose associated with him are perceived by the public The headline alone is acommentary on Mumia’s personal life Where the mainstream media presents a young,heartbroken Maureen Faulkner mourning the loss of her husband by recalling their lastgoodbye kiss, Wadiya Jamal is not afforded the same respect or recognition as Mumia’slegitimate wife Gemperlein (1982) writes,

“The woman, who said she was Wadiya Jamal and was wed to Jamal about a year ago… [She] alleged that Mumia Abu- Jamal, whom she identified as her husband and who is accused of murdering police officer Daniel Faulkner, was beaten by police officers outside Thomas Jefferson University Hospital after the Dec 9 shooting in Center City”.54

If her story and her character remained ambiguous in authenticity then Faulkner’sreputation and the reputation of the Philadelphia police department could remain intact

In stark contrast to the article discussing Maureen Faulkner’s sentimental memories ofher final goodbye kiss, her relationship with Faulkner is austere and only further serves toalienate Mumia in the public eye

If the Inquirer had not already done a sufficient job in isolating Mumia by

generating distrust about his counter-mainstream life-style before the trial, the accountthey relay from the trial blasts the headline: “Fight Erupts at Abu- Jamal Trial: BrothersJailed” This June 19th article is an animalistic portrayal of Mumia’s family Kaufman

54 Gemperlein, Joyce “WOMEN, SAYING SHE’S JAMAL’S WIFE, CONTENDS HE WAS BEATEN BY

THE POLICE.” The Philadelphia Inquirer Philadelphia, PA, 5 January 1982: pg B03.

describes the conflict which occurred during the trial as an “angry brawl that ended in the arrest of Abu-Jamal's two brothers after Common Pleas Court Judge Alfred Sabo ordered the defendant removed from the courtroom because of ‘unceasing disruptiveness.’”55 This depiction perpetuates the angry, unruly persona of a manconvicted of killing a police officer which further substantiates his guilt in the eyes of thepublic To the public this fight is indicative of Mumia’s disregard for authority, the same

disregard fostered within his family The court scene is described as a circus, “A dozen deputy sheriffs were rushed to the room to stop the fighting, primarily between the brothers and other deputies” This story clearly depicts Mumia and his brothers, as

dangerous and unfit for society a stereotype often used by the media to frame images ofAfrican-American men

On the other end of the spectrum, The Philadelphia Tribune attempted to balance

the animosity towards Mumia and return the focus of the case to the encroaching trial andevidence surrounding the conviction In(date) Lloyd Cummings author for which paper

writes an op-ed article titled, “A Friend Accused of Murder” This article not only attests

to Mumia’s character from the intimate perspective of another journalist, but it remindsthe public to refrain from considering Mumia guilty of Faulkner’s murder until the court

renders legal judgment Cummings writes, “It is very important that people of good

conscience and better memories await the evidence and the exhaustion of the legal process before jumping to conclusions, notwithstanding the present hysterical climate.”56

55Kaufman, Marc “Fight Erupts at Abu- Jamal Trial: Brothers Jailed.” The Philadelphia Inquirer

Philadelphia, PA, 19 June 1982: pg B01.

56Cummings, Lloyd “A Friend Accused of Murder.” The Philadelphia Tribune Philadelphia, PA, 18

December 1981: Editorials.

The article also suggests shared responsibility of the Philadelphia Police Department,

declaring, “They must be prepared to recognize and identify those among their ranks whose judgment is consistently questionable”.57 Cummings also offers commentaryabout the racial climate in Philadelphia which contributing to the portrayal of Mumia

“The reality in Philadelphia today is that if you are Black and a brain surgeon, nuclear scientist, banker, minister, politician, newsperson or college professor, to the police and even the FBI, you are just another nigger.”58 Tribune staff writer Tommie St Hill also

contributed the article, “Other Suspect Theory Denied in Jamal Case” on June 15, 1982.Here she affirms that the District Attorney refused to allow testimony debasing theevidence framing Mumia Abu- Jamal as the culprit of Faulkner’s murder She works to

also put Mumia’s character and community associations into context, “Contrary to what has been published and broadcast, only a small number of Jamal supporters who attended his trial are MOVE members”.59

In 1981 and 1982 high emotions surrounded the arrest of Mumia Abu- Jamal Itwas very important to the morale of the Philadelphia Police Department (PPD) forMumia to be convicted of their comrade’s brutal murder Consequently, Mumia, arambunctious militant Black Panther journalist was the prime target of the PPD’s animus.Maurantonio (2008) analyses the prevalent news disseminated about Faulkner’s memorythat fostered a collective identity within the Philadelphia police force:

57 Ibid., 1981.

58 Ibid., 1981.

59St Hill, Tommie “Other Suspect Theory Denied in Jamal Case.” The Philadelphia Tribune

Philadelphia, PA, 15 June 1982: pg 1, 11.