Young Phylicia Barnes, murdered Honer Teen pictured with half sister Deena Barnes, who many have cast a cloud of suspicion upon relaed to the child's killing.

In the perpetual cloud of suspicion surrounding the Murder of  Monroe, NC Honor Teen Phylicia Barnes, many following the case ponder only the facts that have been released to the public, and with little progress having been divulged about authorities progress in the case, the suspicion continues to linger at the doorsteps of the apartment building where the studious kid was staying with her half sister. In the initial phase of the  investigation of Phylicia’s disappearance Police Cadaver Dogs literally lost the child’s scent at the entrance of that dwelling. The search for her led to continuous dead ends that many suspect were intentional misguided and bogus tips spearheaded by those who conspired to cover up the child’s killing. When State Environment Police pulled the little girls nude body from the the thawing waters of the Susquehanna River months after her disappearance, I believe that the spell of bad luck ended. Authorities now have an actual cause of death, forensic evidence, data from email accounts (obtained via federal subpoena), and the accounts by those closes to her surrounding the events that led up to the pretty child’s tragic ending. The most recent media update related to the murder case was released a few months ago after news broke about possible child exploitation, and cops revealing that a “volume of pornographic images” of a child had been discovered during the investigation.  Those reports sent a shock wave around the nation, but the case has since seemingly become ice cold. Or has it really hit a snag?

Extraordinary Silence

Barring the typical hearsay chatter from non authentic sources related to the Barnes Teen murder, there has been very little information leaked to the public surrounding the case. Not just that though, the males who were reportedly at the apartment on the day Phylicia went missing have been completely mute as well. It very well could be that they have been professionally advised to institute their constitutional right to remain silent, but a view of these individuals Social Media Pages, like Facebook, Myspace, and Twitter etc. tends to paint a very peculiar posture. They either carry on as if they are completely unaware that suspicion follows them, or they have ceased and limited their Social Media interaction with others. To say the least, they appear to be to calm, confident, and have yet proclaimed their innocence publicly related to this case. Micheal Johnson (Deena Barnes’ Boyfriend) has taken the suspicious measure to obtain legal counsel, who recently publicly professed his clients innocence related to the murder case. MJ even had a lawyer on retainer doing the phase of the investigation when  cops had ruled him out as a suspect. His actions I’m sure raised some concerns by investigators. MJ’s strange posture legally and the complete silence of his younger relatives is a very mitigating factor. I mean if it were me, the entire world would know my position as I would boisterously and publicly profess my complete innocence related to this murder. The fact that these young men remain silent, in my mind depicts tentative unconfirmed guilt. Also, authorities seemed to have ceased it’s public investigation of the Barnes killing and now appear to have shifted gears into developing  a case for prosecution, and meaning that police probably have a suspect on their radar. However, it serves cops well to deny disclosure of facts at this stage of the case in fear of compromising their efforts thus far.

Hidden Clues

Janice Sallis-Mustafa, the late Teen’s Mother has been actively engaging in online Social Media (including right here on The People’s Champion Blog) and speaking out about her daughter’s murder. Unfortunately, the mother has had to tread through some negativity from the public. Blog posters have questioned her judgment, inferred that her daughter’s death is a result of bad parenting, and that the child wanted freedom from her mother. An intelligent thinking person has to wonder the benefit of expressing such claims in the face of a grieving parent who has lost a child to violence. I’ve challenged TPC Blog posters to a standard of tact and diplomacy, simply because Phylicia’s mother participates here, and it sadly hasn’t come into fruition while someone even recently accused the child’s mother of murdering her own daughter. Moreover, the negativity directed towards Janice Sallis doesn’t appear to derive from some sick  person’s cruel prank. The comments appear to have purpose, hate, and intent to cause more pain. Understanding some of the details of the case we see that Phylicia may have been possibly targeted after a family secret was revealed. It continuously appears that the same hatred involved in Phylicia’s murder may now be targeting her mom. Only the person(s) responsible for the child’s death sticks out in my mind when considering who the people are that made the cruel comments. Janice Sallis has shown tremendous courage and tenaciousness in her response to some of the comments. Ms. Sallis appears vividly agitated when the Barnes Sisters, Deena and Kelly are cast as innocent by blog posters. She also continues to convey that she is “very Pleased” with the progress of the case. In case readers are not paying full attention, her  discontent for the older Barnes females and display of  gratitude in the authorities progress offers a hidden clue inside this case that speaks volumes. The cops know something and they are in contact with Janice on a regular basis.

Making a Case for Prosecution

I am sure that many will say, “if the cops know who killed Phylicia, why hasn’t an arrest been made”? It isn’t quite that simple considering the history of Baltimore’s Criminal Justice System. Baltimore has a reputation for some extremely questionable jury verdicts. A town that has a strong culture of anti-police sentiment may find difficulty seating a jury that will render a guilty verdict if the case is introduced predicated on mere circumstantial evidence alone. This has to be the sole culprit in a prolonged arrest for the child’s murder. It would be an even greater tragedy if cops collared the actual killer, and then had to set him free due to poor evidence within a prosecutorial summation at trial. In Baltimore, this is the reason high profile murder cases linger on.  In a crime such as this the community has to be patient, let the case run it’s course, so that authorities can do their work to make it stick. The killer(s) could walk if another bad Baltimore jury gets the case. The eerie silence that this case fosters points to the reality that the killer(s) are more likely already known. One slip up will nail the bastards for good.

The People’s Champion

I’m David Adams

Texas Deltas under attack in Dallas.

Texas officials are reporting they believe a Serial Rapist is on the loose in the Suburbs of Dallas, TX. The spree which has extended a 10 month period, has some alarming similarities local Police say. All four of the victims in these cases just happen to be members of the well known African American Sorority, “Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc”. Cops say that the suspect, a African American male, 5′,6″ – 6′,0″,  and approximately 250-300 pounds was captured on surveillance video as he walked around the home of one of the victims. The woman told police that they were accosted at home in their bed at the time of the rape, and one of the woman say the subject broke into her home through her garage. The wave of sexual assaults on the woman has sparked a National reaction from the Sorority’s National Headquarters. Delta Sigma Theta Sorority posted a warning to its alumnae urging them to refrain from wearing clothes that identify the organization, and asked them to remove items identifying them as sorority alumnae from their cars, key chains, homes and offices. In addition, the organization told its members they should stop posting their personal information, such as their whereabouts, on Facebook and other social-media sites, and make sure their homes are locked and secured. Authorities also revealed that all 4 women indicated that the subject appeared to have very personal and intimate information about them. Many observers of the case say that these facts tend to point directly to some entity within the Sorority itself, because the woman attended separate schools, and that it isn’t exactly known whether they were all active members of the organization. It is quite possible that the suspect may have obtained some records from a member of the sorority, and began targeting women from that list. The case appears very odd considering the common practice of most major sororities code of secrecy. Police say that the suspect, believed to be 20 years the women’s junior, left DNA behind in all 4 sexual attacks which tends to offer hope that an arrest will be made imminently. The attacks are not only sickening, continues are culture of violence toward woman, but the fact that established educated female citizens in the Dallas area are being attacking in the most safest place imaginable (their homes), depicts a sad commentary that is simply difficult to convey.

The People’s Champion

I’m David Adams

A New York sanitation crew was making it’s routine garbage pickups in a section of Brooklyn June 18, 2006, when one crew member encountered an usually heavy load of garbage that also gave off an extremely foul odor.  The Cops were summoned and they discovered a body of  a young female. The gruesome corpse was later determined to be the remains of young teen Honer Student Chanel Petro-Nixon, left on a busy street corner to rot like common Trash.  Her story unfortunately never achieved National Media attention, like that of Phylicia Barnes. Later on America’s Most Wanted Investigative Reporter, John Lieberman and then, the Rev. Al Sharpton took up the pretty little girl’s murder story to warm up an otherwise cold case. However, their efforts only gained local attention. This past June marked the 5th anniversary of the Nixon child’s death, and no one has ever been charged in connection with her killing. Chanel’s body, just like Phylicia Barnes’ who was found nude floating in a river, as if the girls lives were worthless, produces anger and outrage. Baring the intricate details related to their individual killings, we seem to find very little contrast in the character and development of these children. They were both from very structured homes, were among the top of their perspective classes academically, very attractive, and had never been in any kind of serious trouble prior to the tragedy that ended their lives. In murder cases it’s always a challenge to get individuals who may have knowledge about the case to come forward, do the right thing, and bring justice to the victims and their families. It’s troubling that two of our most educated children have been taken and the cowards responsible remain at large. The African American Community suffers from a serious decease that promotes silence in the face of  evil. An evilness that could ultimately impact one of their very own children. Yet we remain apathetically resolved to say nothing, cower in our homes, and create an arena for the very nature of evil to exist. Some offer a seemingly emphatic rationalization that they do not want to die, and I understand this but we can not fear evil especially when the safety of our children are concerned.

Phylicia Barnes (Monroe, N.C.) and Chanel Petro-Nixon (Brooklyn, N.Y.) were both 16 year old Honor Roll Students who vanished in thin air, and were later found murdered in the mean streets of Baltimore and New York. Their killers have never been found.

Our community is sweltering with violence. Most of the victims in many of these sad and tragic stories are our children. To say that I am too afraid to speak out when evilness taps at my door within my community is simply a display of irresponsibility to our children and our families.  To drive home the point that the “fear of death” mindset is nothing more than a mere rationalization used to escape personal responsibility, we can look at the reckless behavior that many adults engage in, and we see that death apparently is well below the list of priority related to personal safety. We know that the silence murder brings originates from society’s physiological trait of acceptance. We want to be popular, well liked, and the death of two studious little girls is meaningless when social acceptance is weighed. Sadly though, many of our people who profess to love God fail to act when they have information related to crime that could aid authorities in solving many of these cases. Several years ago I sat in the pews of  the New Psalmist Baptist Church in Baltimore, Maryland, as Dr. Walter Scott Thomas gave a sermon to his congregation related to Christian responsibilities. On that Sunday morning the Pastor called upon his  followers to take back their communities. Dr. Thomas highlighted his speech by asking the church, “How can a Christian say that they love God when they see drug dealers selling drugs right at their doorstep, and not pick up the phone and call the police”? I remember that sermon well, and the eerie silence that suddenly fell upon the congregation. I am not picking on Christians here, nor am I inferring that such civic responsibility falls solely on the shoulders of the followers of Christ. The point is that all of God’s People share the burden of righteousness and if for no other purpose but to defeat Satan. The killers of these children derived from the dregs of humanity, and they must be captured in the name of God and all of his people. Some where someone knows something about the deaths of these little girls and I plead with them to step forward and embrace all that is good and pure, do the right thing, and go to the police. Fear not the consequence of retribution, the terror associated with violence, the ridicule of others, and the stigma of the “stop snitching” culture. Fear no man, as their viciousness and evilness has no authority related to the destination of your soul. People would have to literally kill me, to stop me from speaking the truth, stop me from turning them in, and claiming victory in he name of God. It is clearly stated in the Holy Quran that, “Blessed is the Martyr who dies for the cause of righteousness and God. Bliss is his for all eternity”. I can’t stop thinking about a little girl named Chanel who simply wanted to find a job and hang out with her friends, or a little girl named Phylicia who just wanted to love somebody, and get to know her family. I can not image the details or the events that occurred during their final hour with us. Will you help us? Will you aid in seeking justice for our daughters? Will you claim victory in the name of God and all of our people?

Phylicia Simone Barnes Memorial crime reporting tip hotline: 1-800-492-8477 (toll free, anonymous)

Chanel Petro-Nixon Memorial (212) 614-6741 Tipline

The People’s Champion

I’m David Adams

First and foremost I would like to make it abundantly clear that as a writer I can appreciate the fundamentals of free speech as well as the right of others to exercise their constitutionally protected freedom of expression. This process will most assuredly develop resistance and in many cases a variant of opposition from glaring postures of thought, ideas, and understanding from premises that may derive from contrasting mindsets of others. However, given the nature of human behaviorism even in post civilization, we must at least attempt to approach this process with objectivity in the hopes that a fair medium will be obtained by granting an equilibrium for all while maintaining absolute civility at all times. Many times as a society we have faltered in achieving this, especially in highly sensitive arenas such as politics, religion, and crime. Here on the “People’s Champion Blog” I must take the reigns and send a clear and decisive message related to the standard in which participants interact.

Janice Sallis-Mustafa under fire on the "People's Champion Blog" by posers who question the grieving mother's judgement, and even blame her in a pathetic rant for her child's death, claiming young Phylicia wanted freedom from her wrath.

Justice still eludes the beautiful and promising Honor Teen from Monroe, NC. Phylicia Barnes was killed while visiting family in Baltimore over the Christmas Holiday in 2010.

With that being said, I must address some of the comments that were posted regarding Ms. Janice Sallis-Mustafa and her late daughter, the unforgotten Phylicia Barnes. Being a native Baltimorean I have a firm understanding of the culture that exist within the African American Community, and the deplorable manner in which many adults living in the city choose to conduct themselves when their conflict resolution skills are called upon. So, I will grab the bull by it’s horn here and spare no punches while meting out my complete displeasure regarding the poor and insensitive dialogue that has occurred. In the wake of this tragedy, I am sure that many may have expressed their personal feelings regarding Ms. Sallis allowing her daughter to visit her Barnes extended family in Baltimore, the carelessness and culture of Deena Barnes’ lifestyle, and all other pertinent factors in this case. We can’t possibly conclude that Janice Sallis knowingly and irresponsibly sent her beautiful daughter into harms way. In fact, she has admittedly stated her initial gut feeling regarding this and how she battled within herself prior to making the decision to allow Phylicia to go. If you are a parent who can say with complete conviction that you never made a decision related to your child that you don’t regret, then you are kidding yourself. Also, Phylicia had been to Baltimore several times prior without incident. I am not understanding the foolish banter that criticizes her in this regard. She isn’t from Baltimore and lacks the knowledge and practicality of the trifling viciousness of the likes of Baltimoreans. One poster asked her directly if she had actually talked with Deena Barnes. I wonder where this person has been all this time, if they even watched any of the news reports related to this case, and how they would feel if some one took such a cheap shot at them in the wake of their daughter’s disappearance and subsequent murder? Media has run a clip repeatedly that depicts Janice Sallis expressing that she had discussed in explicit detail her expectation of supervision while Phylicia visited Baltimore. Might I remind you that young Phylicia Barnes was in fact a straight A Student, that she was preparing to attend College a year early, and that she was well liked and respected among her peers. These factual details speaks volumes about the standard of living that Phylicia Barnes was accustomed too, as well as the direction of her mother’s parenthood. Please miss me with the neanderthal mentality. Furthermore, to infer that Phylicia’s death occurred as a result of her wanting to get away from her mother is absurd, heartless, cowardice, and just simply a very cruel thing to say during the darkest hour of this family. Those of us from Baltimore know and understand the nature of the beast. It is understood that compassion, understanding, and empathy doesn’t exist in a city with a predominantly African American Population that leads our nation in adult illiteracy and violence against other people of color. We cannot allow such sub standards to cloud our vision and focus in this case. This case is about finding the parties responsible for taking such a promising and intelligent  child from our midst. This case isn’t about name dropping or informing others of the alleged prominence of your family or their association with other notable public figures. More importantly, this case isn’t about your personal feelings or your distaste of others perception of your comments in an open and public forum. When we offer our support regarding the tragedy and suffering of others it should be extended without condition, without regard for who gave what, and done from the sincerest depths of our spirituality and understanding that this too could have been my family. Somewhere along the way it seems that we have forgotten why we all have come to this Blog Post. We have forgotten that a child was killed. A child deprived of life should be a matter of concern for all within humanity. We have forgotten that it’s alarming to find our beautiful daughters unclothed floating in a river. We have forgotten that the perpetrators remain at large. I am also remindful that those responsible are also more than likely following our discussions here, a fact that we all must consider when posting comment. This could very well be the cause of such obvious counterproductive dialogue regarding this senseless murder. If your intent here is to cause disruption or exact more grief upon the family and supporters of Phylicia Barnes, then your efforts are not only sickening, but poorly misguided as we are here for Justice, understanding, and healing. Please let us be in this forum or be involuntarily removed.  Moreover, though I welcome all comments, I also reserve the right to terminate participation of those who refuse to conduct themselves with dignity and respect for the mother of this child. Janice Sallis did her job raising Phylicia and she should be treated with the compassion and understanding befitting the fruit that bares our creed. There will be zero tolerance of further discourse of this nature. Justice for Phylicia Barnes must prevail. Mother Sallis you remain in our prayers!

The people’s Champion

I’m David Adams

We have arrived at one of the darkest hours of our time. The life of yet another black man is surely to fall at the hands of America’s gauntlet of injustice. Time and time again we see convictions for murder only to discover years later that the convicted had been wrongly accused. No crime scene forensics evidence links Troy Davis for the crime he most certainly now will perish for. 7 of the original 9 People have since recanted their testimony and say they were in fact coerced by Police. Yet countless Courts in our land have not found such mitigating circumstances sufficient to commute Troy Davis’ Death Sentence to Life in prison.

Why must he be killed, why must our Justice system ignore the cries for Justice by thousands, and cries that even resound in the Halls of the Vatican. Why have we stood by idly and watched the continued persecution of our people? Why in America is the life of a Black man as valuable is the dregs of human feces. We say we are free but that is far from the truth. Why must we fear? A fear that changed the landscape of one black family for decades, and now it appears for ever. It seems that we are only  moved by the lure of Babylon’s whore and her false Gods of Material. There is no compassion amongst us. our people remain stranded on pillars of carnage while others migrate to America and excel, and excel far beyond any measure that the post Civil Rights Era ever afforded people of color. The Preacher man said wait on God, but it seems as if God abandoned the children of Abraham many score ago. They say Jesus cried out, but God answered not, and his blood was shed to save the world. I pray that the blood of Troy Davis rain down like the mighty River Jordan and spark a catalyst for change in America. A change that motivates the lost seed of Israel to rise up and strike a mighty blow upon the Kings of Sodom, and that there be peace, not death on this earth..

The people’s Champion

I’m David Adams

It was Christmas time the Season of love, family, and good cheer. The greatest time of the year as many folk tails and songs of Saint Nick exclaim. The music normally can be heard from homes celebrating the holiday spirit to the sounds of choirs singing “Oh silent Night” through out communities in America. For the Barnes Family Christmas of 2010 would be a season in which tragedy reared it’s ugly head as the youngest child of four siblings vanished in thin air without a trace. Her story made National Media Headlines, a rarity for a young African American Child, and a dragnet of Police/Volunteers began searching various sites in Baltimore City looking for what appeared to be one of the African American Community’s brightest hopes, and shining stars, the beautiful studious Phylicia Barnes. The Monroe, N.C. Honor student had traveled to Baltimore to spend the Holidays with Family, a journey that ended without incident many times in the past. This trip sadly resulted in her untimely death at the hands of heartless individual(s) who murdered her and have yet to be brought to justice. The minimal details that we know about her killing are as mysterious as some of  the actions of her Baltimore Family following her death. The reality of Phylicia having been in the care of those who should have protected her,  ultimately resulting in her discovery nude in a river 40 miles from where she was staying, and nobody knowing what happened to her is just simply unconscionable. This case which seemed cold, has dragged on without an arrest. We have heard reports surrounding suspects, Micheal Johnson (Deena Barnes Boyfriend), his cousin “Bootz”, and 16 year old brother who were at the apartment on the day Phylicia went missing. Seems like an open and shut case, but startling new details may tend to lean toward another angle in this case.

Phylicia’s mother, Janice Sallis-Mustafa who has recently began speaking about her daughter’s murder gave an interview in “Opal Fusion Mag” Blog. In tha interview Ms Sallis revealed a family secret that sheds new light on this entire mystery and further heightens the suspicion of the potential culpability of Phylicia’s Father side of the family that she had traveled to Baltimore to visit. I won’t overcast Blogger “Mimi’s” article regarding this revelation, but I’ll just simply say that the “Secret” became known to Deena Barnes and her Baltimore Siblings prior to Phylicia  arriving in Baltimore, that it was met with outrage, and possibly may have set the stage which resulted in Phylicia’s murder. The article also reveals that Russell Barnes (Phylicia’ Father) may have wanted this information kept from his children permanently and he was also described as furious that it had been leaked out by his ex-wife (Janice Sallis). The Opal Mag article leaves a lot of questions for readers to ponder. I recently Blogged that Janice Sallis strongly feels that Russell Barnes is complicit in the death or conspiracy to cover up the murder of his own child, and the recent revelations pointing to this family “Secret” almost assuredly keeps him in the scheme of potential suspects involved in this murder. I admittedly, was challenged by his lack of emotion when news first broke of the body found in the Susquehanna River having been identified as Phylicia’s. In fact there has been countless Blog post by readers who depict the entire Barnes Clan as unmoved, silly, rogue church going wannabes.

Weak Link: Kelly Barnes Factor

In my observation of the siblings throughout this ordeal I have noticed that Deena Barnes has a complexed discernment about her when interviewed. I saw a News Interview in which I observed Kelly Barnes speaking, while Deena trained her eyes on Kelly’s every word. It was almost as if Deena is frightened that Kelly will inadvertently implicate them in some way. Disciplined Interviewers and Investigators are trained to tune into non verbal communications of the Interviewee, and it is plain as day that Deena reeks with guilt. It could simply be an implication that she feels bad for her poor supervision of young Phylicia, but what ever it is Deena is clearly nervous. During the Blogtalk Broadcast Kelly Barnes was somewhat withdrawn during the discussion. She only offered comment when directly question by “Peas In Their Pods” staff. I also noticed that she wanted to say more than what she actually did. For a period of time it seemed as if she was on the verge of revealing something. Of the two, Kelly Barnes is the softest target as far as investigations go. She is not a good liar. It’s not natural to her and it’s obvious. During the same broadcast Kelly confirmed that she was supposed to pick Phylicia up that day but never did. She is also overheard stating that she was scheduled to get off of work early that day between 12-12:30 p.m. She states that she called Phylicia around 1:00 p.m. and was unsuccessful in reaching her. Recently a TPC Blog poster who is also a co-worker of Kelly Barnes revealed that Kelly did not come to work on the day that Phylicia went missing. This is an obvious unsettling fact if proven correct. Why would Kelly say she went to work and didn’t, but even more importantly I think it’s safe to say that one remembers what they did on the day their baby sister went missing, so the I don’t recall rationalization is buried here. Assuming that Kelly didn’t go to work, why didn’t she go by Deena’s apartment to pick her up or even check on her at the least? Kelly’s rationalization that she thought Phylicia was asleep is not convincing. Why is Kelly lieing? It would serve Police well to press Kelly Barnes on these facts. She knows something and she could break. Kelly is the weak link in unraveling the lies the Barnes Clan have meshed together.

Micheal Johnson: His Police Family Connection

Certainly we cannot exclude MJ because he was reportedly the last person who saw Phylicia alive, mysteriously hired an Attorney while Police ruled him out as a potential suspect, and has made some questionable Facebook post like, “Deena should just tell Phylicia’s mother what was going on at the apartment”, a FB comment which was suspiciously deleted a short time later. Recently news broke that Deena Barnes had filed for a Restraining Order against him which subsequently was denied by the presiding Baltimore Judge, who cited the lack of merit for the order. MJ is definitely not out of the pool of potential suspects. Also, there have been a growing number of posters in several Blogs who indicate MJ’s Family ties with at least one high ranking Police Official. Janice Sallis even confirmed this in a recent post on the TPC Blog. Just because a potential murder suspect has family within the investigating agency that has authority in the jurisdiction that he may ultimately be charged, doesn’t mean he is getting preferential treatment. However, anyone who has followed this case can’t help by being drawn to some interesting factors involved in this case. For instance, where was Phylicia Murdered? Why are there no witnesses who report seeing Phylicia leave that apartment either alone or accompanied by someone else? Where is the crime scene? The apartment rendered nothing by way of forensics. How is it that average males from Baltimore, a city leading the nation in adult illiteracy amongst Blacks, are capable of possessing the knowledge related to disposing a body in a river during the winter, and knowing the dynamics of how freezing water temperatures are ideal to mask the body for months? I’m not convinced that these rapper wannabe, pot smoking, and picture taking with guns aspiring thugs have the basic knowledge of anatomy or forensics science to met out such a carefully orchestrated cover up of this murder unassisted. It is quite possible that someone with expert knowledge related to anatomical decomposition may have aided the killers in the disposal of the body. Police do have this knowledge as they are charged with the task of recovering bodies on a regular basis in “Bodymore” (a cliche used to depict  Baltimore’s notorious culture of violence). I am well aware of the far reaching implications thar such a perspective suggest, but I am also experienced in the culture that exist within a very small minority of the BCPD. They are far from reproach.

I apologize to Janice Sallis-Mustafa for the manner in which this Blog post rehashes descriptive details related to Phylicia’s murder, knowing that you are now an active  follower of the TPC Blog. It is my sincerest hope that a continued public discusion regarding the circumstances of Phylicia’s passing will ultimately, even in minor fashion, spur something that aids in the successful apprehension of her killers. Your kept in my prayers. Phylicia’s cause will march on until her killers are, as you explicitly stated, “locked up in a cage” rightfully until the conclusion of their mortality. God bless you!

The People’s Champion

I’m David Adams

After months of searching for her, the discovery of her tragic ending, the bombshell media reports that young Phylicia Barnes may have been a victim of some sick twisted Child Pornography Ring has not been sufficient enough to bring justice and closure to her mother Janice Sallis-Mustafa, and it now appears that the murder case of this beautiful bright child has gone ice cold. I along with other Bloggers have relentlessly made diligent efforts to keep this case alive in Mainstream Social Media. The authorities remain tight lipped about details, if any, indicating a lead into who may have been responsible for Phylicia’s untimely demise. It seems like an eternity as followers of this horrible story remain watchful while intensely awaiting a break in the case. Many theories have surfaced surrounding what may have happened to Phylicia and some facts may not be accurate, but there has been a consistent perspective by a growing number of people who believe that the teen’s siblings have more knowledge than what they have revealed regarding what happened on the day that their Baby Sister went missing.

Blog posters have indicated their immediate suspicion upon Phylicia’s older sister Deena Barnes after listening to an interview of all three Barnes Siblings during a “Peas In Their Pods” radio broadcast on Blogtalk. Her account was  troubling, the whispering, the lack of authentic grief, her suspicious early departure during the interview outraged most, and raised a red flag in the minds of many from the onset of Phylicia’s disappearance. Although media reports have pointed to a strained relationship between the Barnes and Mustafa families, which indicated Janice Sallis’s complete displeasure with the kinds of things Phylicia was exposed too under Deena Barnes supervision during her visit to Baltimore, Ms. Sallis made it known to readers of this Blog that there is no doubt in her mind that the Barnes Family were involved in Phylicia’s murder. In one blog post Ms Sallis blasted Deena Barnes stating, “They ought to come to reality and know that it’s the right thing for her to be accountable for her demonic actions and spend the rest of her useless life in a cage where animals need to be until the day of her demize”. These harsh words for Deena Barnes appear warranted given the pathetic circumstances of the case. On the day that Phylicia went missing Deena did not notify Janice that her daughter may be in trouble, a point that upset other mothers following this case, and a major violation of a “silent code” that women honor and revere related to their children. Not just that though, one blog poster struggled with the seemingly synthetic Memorial held outside of Deena Barne’s apartment in honor of Phylicia’s tragedy, and Ms Sallis also concurred with that sentiment by stating, “I as Phylicia’s mom did not honor that memorial service nor give my condolences to their deceitful and betrayed actions. My thoughts as from the beginning that the
bmore memorial was just another one of the barnes’ detour to mislead the public as if they were really mourning”. Just like that blog poster’s comments indicated, I had extreme difficulty watching Deena, the other siblings, and dad Russel Barnes give interviews with obvious apathy and insincere grief. In cases like this one must siege objectivity even though the actions of the child’s father side of the family appear sickening and deplorable. This is a difficult task in the face of such a gut wrenching story, bu as one blog poster indicated: “I just viewed the memorial service that took place in Baltimore. I can’t help but wonder why releasing a dove is funny to Kelly Barnes and the father and brother are able to conduct the interview with out breaking down, to die so tragically I just don’t see too much mourning but then again its not like they have been each others lives for long so maybe its just doesnt phase them.. Please correct me if I’m wrong”. Again, it’s obvious that the poster’s sentiments mirror Phylicia’s mother as she rebutted, “No (poster’s user name) you aren’t wrong ur right on target. The Barnes’ are church going perpetrators and my Father GOD will deal with every one of them on HIS time and terms”.  The suspicion of the Barnes Family involvement in Phylicia’s murder has been so strongly held by Janice Sallis, that she admits purposely failing to disclose Homegoing Arrangements with them: “I as Phylicia’s mother, deliberately told the Barnes’ family at a spare of the moment so that they wouldn’t get prepared to come to my baby’s homegoing celebration when I strongly feel as though that they’ve taken a huge part of my Father GOD accepting her and not taking her. I just didn’t have the patience nor the tolerance to see those fake broads participating at my daughter’s celebration”. Janice’s comments also appeared to indicate that Kelly as well as Deena may have been just as culpable in Phylicia’s murder while dismissing them both as “fake broads”.  I personally understand Janice’s feeling regarding Kelly Barnes. I became disturbed after learning during the Blogtalk Interview that Kelly didn’t go by Deen’as apartment to pick Phylicia up as planed to go shopping, and to a hair appointment. I have continuously stated my concerns related to this fact along with the strange lapse in time when there was no communication from the sisters with Phylicia, even after failed attempts to contact her. I have always felt that the older Barnes Females already knew that Phylicia was deceased, thus explaining the mysterious lapse in time. It may come as a surprise to some, not to me however, that Janice Sallis openly admitted she believes that Russel Barnes, Phylicia’s father was also involved: “I’m sorry I don’t agree, I believe Russell’s hands were in the clay to her demize as well. If a so called dad doesn’t care if his child exists or not that behavior of uncaring and cold heartedness definitely doesn’t exclude the bank of sperm out”. Though Janice isn’t explicit in her revelation regarding Russel Barnes, a careful analysis of the manner in which she phrased her comment, indicates the “sperm bank” remark displays that his “uncaring” and “cold heartedness” clearly shows he is  detached emotionally from his own daughter. Janice says that “Russel also had his hand in the clay”. Could the term “clay” mean that Janice suspects that Russel was directly involved in disposing of Phylicia’s body in the Susquehanna River? Well, while following up on the case, I recall some blog posters stating the child’s father actually spearheaded the conspiracy to cover up the murder. I won’t delve too much in that, but I believe there may be some credibility to the Russel Barnes involvement perspective. When media reports first broke about Phylicia possibly falling prey to a Child Porn Ring, we learned that the F.B.I had obtained search warrants for four Baltimore men. We now know the identity of  three of them who are Micheal Johnson(Deena’s so called ex Boyfriend), his younger Cousin “Bootz”, and his 16 year old minor Brother all of whom were at Deena’s apartment during the early hours of the day Phylicia went missing. However, we are unaware of who the fourth person that was indicated within the sealed Federal Search Warrant, and I can’t help but wonder if that person is in fact Russel Barnes. Who ever the individual(s) are responsible for this child’s death, it increasingly and convincingly appears, had some knowledge of the inner workings with Baltimore Police, and more in particular must have had experience as a subject of a criminal investigation. In my mind, the circus that led Authorities on a wild goose chase during the initial search for Phylicia, was  a clever tactic invented to mislead Police, and to enable her body adequate time to decompose and lose potential forensic evidence. Moreover, Deena’s failure to contact Janice Sallis when Phylicia went missing is troubling and suspicious. It is also logical considering her potential involvement in the murder, but if Deena didn’t make that call, why did Russel also not call. This to is also very troubling and should heighten his potential culpability in the murder of his own daughter. To Janice Sallis I extend my continued heartfelt condolences and remain committed to keeping Phylicia’s story alive until decisive justice has been rendered related to the tragic ending of her beautiful and loving daughter. God speed!

The People’s Champion

I’m David Adams

On May 13, 1985 when most of the nation were tuned in to their local news watching the bizarre events going on in West Philadelphia after City, State, and Federal Authorities had dropped a bomb on a house in the Powerton Section of the city, many believe Philly Police carried out a hit to settle an old vendetta.  We are all probably well aware by now about the Bombing incident’s tragic outcome, which resulted in the death of 11 members of the M.OV.E. organization that included 5 children. What many are unaware of is that in the backdrop of glaring flames that burned an entire city block to the ground, another killing occurred, one that many local and national journalist described as “Philly Police meting out their own brand a street justice in the dark of the night”. The victim in that killing was Kenneth Freeman, a long time business associate of  William “Billy” Cook. Cook is the younger brother of the world’s most famous Death Row Inmate, Mumia Abu-Jamal, and the driver of the vehicle Officer Daniel Faulkner had stopped the night of his killing which Abu-Jamal would later be convicted for.

In author Patrick O’Conner’s book, “The framing of Mumia Abu-Jamal” he uses the State of Philadelphia’s original crime scene ballistic evidence to make a prima facia case that Abu-Jamal could not have shot Faulkner as the Prosecution claimed during the trial, but not just that, O’Conner’s book demonstrates that it was in fact Ballistically impossible. O’Conner’s effort here was aided by the confession of Arnold Beverly who signed a sworn affidavit that he, not Abu- Jamal, had shot Faulkner as part of a plan by other Philly police to kill the 25 year old Cop, who they believed was an informer for the FBI in a Federal Corruption case probing dirty Philadelphia police. Beverly’s confession reveals that their were other Police staked out at 13th and Locust St (scene of the Faulkner killing) to make certain that the hit went as planned.  According to Beverly Faulkner was initially shot by an accomplice who he has repeatedly refused to identify. Beverly goes on to say that while the injured cop lied on the ground, that he was the one who stood over him and fired the fatal shot that resulted in Faulkner’s death.

Beverly fled the scene and was escorted away from the area by other police involved in the hit. He goes on to say that Abu-Jamal was shot later by Faulkner’s backup that the young officer had radioed in a request for during the altercation he encountered with Billy Cook. Beverly says that Abu-Jamal nor his younger Brother killed Daniel Faulkner. Beverly’s account appeared far fetched on it’s face,  because most were unwilling to believe that police were actually involved in the killing of a fellow Officer. Its an implication that would have had far reaching criminal ramifications  that may have pointed to misconduct by prosecutors, while exposing exactly how authorities framed an innocent man. Also, extensive investigations into the Beverly account revealed striking similarities of potential evidence fruitful to the Abu-Jamal defense that police gathered during the initial investigation of the case, much of which was in fact completely exculpatory evidence that wasn’t disclosed to the Abu-Jamal defense team.

O’Conner points out at least 6 witness accounts and some from the primary Officers at the scene of the shooting who reported to investigators that they had seen two men running away from the area after the Cop had been shot, and that one of the men was wearing a camouflage jacket. One of the witnesses William Singletary, who did testify at the Jamal trial and has since recanted his testimony, after revealing he and his family members were threatened with bodily harm by police, after they repeatedly torn up his statements and continuously made him rewrite them over and over again to obtain a version by him that implicated Mumia. Singletary was introduced as an eye witness of the Faulkner Killing for the Prosecution during the trial, but his recanted account indicates that Abu-Jamal could not have killed Faulkner because he had directly spoken with Mumia after Faulkner had already been shot.

Singletary said Mumia spoke to him in passing as he went to investigate what had occurred. Singletary further states that Jamal inquired as to what was going on and he advised Mumia that some one had shot a policeman. According to Singletary, Mumia stated “Oh no we can’t have this” and headed toward the scene of the shooting. It was at that time Singletary says Abu-Jamal was shot by responding police officers who arrived on the scene as a result of Faulkner having previously called for back up. When pressed if he knew who shot Abu-Jamal Singletary’s response was he didn’t see who shot Mumia because he had ran for cover, after hearing more gun shots. Also, Singletary stated that the actual shooter was wearing a army style camouflage jacket, an account which supports Arnold Beverly’s claim, that alleges he was wearing the exact same style jacket on the night when he shot and killed Faulkner. Something else occurred that night that few are aware of. Even prosecutors were not made aware of this information around the time of the killing. I’ll get into that later.

The Kenneth Freeman Factor

Philly Police Officer Forbes holding Mumia’s and Faulkner’s gun in his bare hands destroying ballistic evidence, a point that he testified to under oath as having carefully preserved ballistic evidence Mumia’s finger prints were not on the alleged murder weapon, and the bullet retrieved from Daniel Faulkner’s head has since mysteriously disappeared.

From the onset of the Mumia frame up by the police, they have intentionally excluded witnesses who indicated to cops that at least a fourth man was at the crime scene that night along with Faulkner, William Cook, and Abu-Jamal. We discovered later that the introduction of this evidence would have provided creditable exculpatory evidence for Mumia’s case, and demonstrates how prosecutors may have violated disclosure laws and Abu-Jamal’s Civil Rights during the trial. It wasn’t until years later during the appellate phase of Mumia’s case that prosecutors finally revealed this discovery, which was known to state prosecutors during the initial trial. A vital fact in the case which establishes that a fourth man was also at the crime scene that night. Prosecutors indicated during appellate arguments that Faulkner had a temporary drivers license in his front shirt pocket belonging to a man that police say was Cook’s personal friend, Kenneth Freeman. Also, William Cook who was in fact Mumia’s younger brother, had long admitted that the passenger riding with him the night he was stopped by Faulkner was his business partner Freeman.

Where am I going with this? Well, as pointed out in O’Conner’s book, the ballistics from the crime scene do not match police version of events. The position of Faulkner’s body, the location of where he allegedly was shot, and coupled with other facts proves that it is impossible to have been carried out from the vantage of where police alleged Mumia had approached the Officer. The Ballistics indicate the shooter faced East and the bullet in Faulkner’s back had to have been fired with east bound trajectory. The location of Mumia’s cab where Police say he originated on the scene was directly across the street, meaning Jamal approached from the south. Clearly establishing the impossibility for Abu Jamal to have fired a shot into the young cop’s back as prosecutors have always alleged.

Moreover, William Cook’s VW bug was facing west on the North side of Locust that night, and everyone except the Police have concluded that it is more than highly probable that Kenneth Freeman was one of the actual shooters, as he stepped out of the passenger side of William Cook’s car. Also, there was a projectile (bullet) retrieved from the door frame of the building where Cook’s VW was parked, that also suggest that another police officer other than Faulkner, had also discharged his weapon at the time of the shooting. Going back to the other incident that occurred that night which prosecutors were not even aware of until recently, is the alleged claim Arnold Beverly made that he was also shot that night. His account is supported by Philadelphia Police Department crime scene personnel reports that established 2 blood types at the scene. Type A and O were retrieved, but both Faulkner and Abu-Jamal are type A. Now with DNA analysis available it is in fact quite possible that testing could be done on the strange projectile found in the door frame, as well as possible donors of the type O blood found at he crime scene.

Many followers who have done extensive research on the Abu-Jamal case believe that besides Mumia’s storied past with Philly police from his Black Panther Party days during his youth, to his support of  the back to nature MO.V.E. organization, and his high profile radio broadcast job where he relentlessly criticized police for alleged brutality in African American Communities, the volume of evidence that has been discovered that points to misconduct by prosecutors is prima facie in revealing why State and Federal Judges may have handled the Abu-Jamal in an exceptional manner. The night of the M.OVE. compound bombing. Philly police went and got Kenneth Freeman and handcuffed him, gagged him, stripped him, and injected a volume of some type of lethal substance in his system. Anti Mumia followers will argue that their is no  proof of these allegations, but this argument is easily combated when considering the manner in which his body was discovered, and the suspicious Coroner’s report that listed his cause of death as a heart attack.

There has never been a criminal investigation into the death of Kenneth Freeman by Philly police, even considering the fact that he couldn’t have possibly injected a lethal substance into himself with his hands cuffed behind his back.  We must understand that with his killing, police show indirectly that they believed or knew he was involved in Faulkner’s killing. William Cook’s affidavit indicates that Freeman confessed to him that he knew about, and was involved in Faulkner’s hit, which was organized and carried out at the direction of rogue and corrupt Philly cops. The lead Investigator resigned from the Philly Police Department the first working day after the conclusion of Mumia’s trial conviction. Arnold Beverly’s account is further supported by the fact that 15 of the 33 Officers involved in the Abu-Jamal case were subsequently indicted and convicted of tampering with evidence to obtain convictions in criminal cases unrelated to Mumia’s case, several weeks after the conclusion of the Faulkner murder trial.

So, the general perception of many following this case is that the night Philly police bombed the M.O.V.E. compound, they intended to kill two birds with one stone. They ended their long standing feud with one of the City of Philadelphia’s arch enemies by killing all of the M.O.V.E. members (so they thought), and in the death of Kenneth Freeman they could close the coffin on another enemy (Mumia Abu-Jamal), by silencing a link to their dirty laundry, and in effect neutralizing M.O.V.E.’s greatest supporter. The indictment against nearly half of the Philadelphia city police officers involved in the Abu-Jamal case, was part of a federal Investigation into corruption by Philly police in the Center City area of Philadelphia, which also conveniently just so happens to offer very strong support of Arnold Beverly’s claim that dirty cops wanted Faulkner dead, and his assertion that cops believed Faulkner was an informant for the FBI.

Many of these facts are well supported, and demonstrate why literally millions of people from diverse ethnic groups have traveled from around the world to fight for the freedom of America’s last Political Prisoner. Moreover, it is unfortunate that the vast majority of those who have drawn battle lines in his cause are in fact white people from Germany and other European countries. Here in the U.S. Abu-Jamal and M.OV.E. Members are reviled by people of color as dirty hair wearing trash, a sign that African American people are still entangled in the destructive image of self hatred. Every man has the right to decide his own destiny and if this could happen to an educated man like Mumia, then it could happen to us all.

The People’s Champion

I’m David Adams

He lives in a narrow steel cage, his voice illuminates the air waves, his commentaries are showcased on Democracy Now, NPR News, he  has been a guest keynote speaker at Yale University and other Collegiate Commencement Ceremonies, and by the time it takes you to view his signature dreadlocks he’ll make it known that he is Mumia Abu-Jamal on Death Row within the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections. I personally liken such a man to that of  Nelson Mandela who was unjustly imprisoned under the racist system of Aparthied in his native homeland of South Africa for over 20 years. Despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary and dispelling the myth that the award winning Journalist killed a Philadelphia Police Officer, he is left lingering on death row for nearly 30 years for a crime it convincingly appears that he did not commit. I’ve spent years studying his case, his appeals, and the opinions of a predominately white populous that emphatically believe that Abu-Jamal is nothing more than a cold blooded murderer. In my studies the merits of this case  demonstrate “frame up” tactics by Philly Police, evidence & witness tampering, coercion of testimony, inconclusive ballistics, judicial bias, racial prejudice, and the withholding of exculpatory evidence which is typical on it’s face when considering Police handling of court cases involving African Americans and other colored criminal defendants. However what has stung the most is the blatant defiance of higher Federal Courts to apply long standing Appellate Precedent while reviewing the obvious and problematic intangibles surrounding the conviction of a clearly innocent man. I have spent a many sleepless nights unable to phantom even the possibility of such heinous and deplorable conduct by officials within the U.S. Criminal Justice System. Considering the historic fact regarding racism in America, the perceptions of FOP members, those of Maureen Faulkner (widow of slain Cop Daniel Faulkner), and other ignorant blood thirsty anti Abu-Jamal followers, I remain unmoved by their position. Though their advocacy for Mumia’s death are expected based on a racist pro-police motivation, I am not sure whether the ignorance regarding the plethora of facts pointing to Mumia’s innocent or their endowed racism that harbors the greatest depth of sickness. The intelligent people who understand what is at play here dismiss the likes of them all while having an understanding of what they truly are, racist. The facts of this case are clear and have been argued before the Federal Courts time and time again, yet we see a distinct pattern commonly known as “the Mumia Exception” at play here. In my mind this reality should be an abrupt awakening to all people of color in America, as surely Mumia’s case mirrors antics by the courts that predate the old “Jim Crow” era of the American South. We must adopt a position of inquiry in this troubling matter, consider the mass movement of people of all ethnicities who travel from around the world, marching, singing, and dancing while feverishly advocating justice for an alleged “Cop Killer” on a regular basis.

Maureen Faulkner likens Abu-Jamal followers to “no nothings” and “Mumidiots”, but common sense demonstrates that the mobilization of millions for his cause is not without merit. At this late stage of the case the Federal Judges responsible for embracing the higher principles of law that the courts were meant to serve are Mumia’s greatest adversaries. Mumia’s appeals have been predicated upon long standing Appellate Landmark cases, but the Courts have determine that such precedent applies to everyone except Abu-Jamal. These unfair practices reveal that we can not ignore Mumia’s Black Panther Party affiliation during his youth, a characterization that many believe is the sole culprit of his demise from the onset of this entire ordeal, further confirming a  perceived desire within the African American Community that the U.S. Government intends to put to death pro black nationalist, and others believed to be a threat to domestic National Security. The only problem here is that prior to Mumia’s conviction of killing Officer Daniel Faulkner, Mumia had never received as much as a parking ticket. Since his conviction Prosecutors and their supporters have propagated that Mumia was a “violent radical” who wanted to kill a cop. This simply is not true. The truth is that Mumia’s writing ability and his exposing Police corruption and Brutality within the African American Community is the actual fire that sparked hatred of him by Police and resulted in his conviction. Crime scene photos taken by a freelance photographer minutes after the Faulkner slaying are a smoking gun depicting the injustice committed against Abu-Jamal. Americans are unaware that many of our Federal Judges have come up through the ranks as former Prosecutors and District Attorneys with close ties to the FOP (Fraternal Order of Police) who lobby for their elections via FOP Funding and other support. We can’t ignore the Political alliances that exist within the Police and Judicial Branch of Government. It’s difficult to digest having the knowledge that injustices like this can occur in America, a poignant reality that renders the people completely powerless.  We already are aware of American Prisons bursting at the seams with mostly young African American People, but every now and then a young, bright, educated warrior emerges, and lacks the ability to fear the injustices of Police and Government only to be carted away to their jails in an attempt to silence them forever. I too, just like Mumia lack the capacity of fear, and I challenge you to investigate Mumia’s case. Come to your own conclusions if for no other reason to discover what millions have already concluded. May God grant freedom for us all, and may God grant freedom for Mumia Abu-Jamal.

The People’s Champion

I’m David Adams

The list of supporters and followers of the infamous one time Black Panther Party Member, Broadcast Journalist, and now Death Row Inmate Mumia Abu-Jamal covers a broad spectrum of prominent World Leaders, Actors & Actress, Activist, Politicians, and other notable figures globally. Those who depose the call for his freedom can now add The California Federation of Teachers as a Combatant to the growing list of Labor Organizations now publicly joining the cause to fight for the life and freedom of Abu-Jamal. The CFT passed Resolution 19: “Reaffirm support for death row journalist Mumia Abu-Jamal”. Many anti-Jamal factions cite numerous eyewitnesses saying Mumia did it. The Police version of ballistic evidence – saying Mumia’s gun at the scene was consistent with the bullet used to kill Faulkner. However, these people along wih Federal Judges ignore other pertinent facts, such as the bullet taken from Faulkner’s body has never been conclusively established as having been discharged from the .38 caliber that Abu-Jamal had on him that night and licensed to carry. They say Mumia admitted after the fact that he did it. The fact of the matter is that only Police and coerced witnesses testified to these allegations. More poignantly though, even the arresting Officer initially indicated in his Duty Report that, “the subject said nothing”. That Policeman changed his account 2 1/2 weeks after Abu-Jamal had been arrested, citing that he did not know it was relevant to the case until now, and sadly his pathetic blatant lie was allowed to be deemed credible as a vital element into the merits of Mumia’s Capitol Murder Trial. It has been thirty years since the State of Pennsylvania sentenced Abu-Jamal to death for this tragic event and the CFT like millions of others around the world are onto the injustices that has been done to an obviously innocent man. Abu-Jamal followers have known for years that the Federal Appellate Courts have for very obvious reasons chosen to violate that same Court’s own precedents to keep Mumia Abu-Jamal incarcerated while facing death for ever. The CFT’s resolution is a complete over view of what many have known for years about this highly Political case. Here is the California Federation of Teachers complete Resolution:

 Resolution 19
Reaffirm support for death row journalist
Mumia Abu-Jamal

Whereas, Mumia Abu-Jamal’s 1982 trial in Philadelphia was characterized by illegal suppression of evidence, police coercion, illegal exclusion of black jurors, and unfair and unconstitutional rulings by
the judge; and

Whereas, the trial judge, Albert Sabo, has been quoted in a sworn statement to have vowed at the time of the trial to help the prosecution ‘fry the n—–;’ and
Whereas, subsequent appellate rulings have bent the law out of shape to sustain the guilty verdict of that trial; and

Whereas, the appellate courts have also refused to consider strong evidence of Mumia Abu-Jamal’s innocence that has emerged continuously in the years subsequent to the trial; and

Whereas, the U.S. Supreme Court, in denying relief to Mumia Abu-Jamal, ignored key precedents such as its own ruling in Batson v Kentucky, which was supposed to prevent exclusion of jurors on the basis of race; and
Whereas, Mumia Abu-Jamal still is incarcerated on Death Row while awaiting a decision from the U.S. Third Circuit Court of Appeals that could remove a stay on his execution; and

Whereas, Mumia Abu-Jamal has for decades as a journalist fought courageously against racism and police brutality and for the human rights of all people and has taken strong stands in support of working people involved in labor struggles and in support of well-funded, quality, public education;
and

Whereas, the continued unjust incarceration of Mumia Abu-Jamal represents a threat to the civil rights of all people; and

Whereas, the CFT has at a previous Convention voiced its support for justice for Mumia Abu-Jamal;
Therefore, be it resolved, that the California Federation of Teachers reaffirm its support and demand that the courts consider the evidence of innocence of Mumia Abu-Jamal; and

Be it further resolved, that the CFT introduce and advocate on behalf of a resolution at the 2012 AFT Convention reaffirming the AFT’s support for justice for Mumia Abu-Jamal should he not have been cleared of charges and released by that time.

We are know why the federal Courts refuse to follow it’s own rules pertaining to the Abu-Jamal case. Their message is clear. Any man who dare manifest the writing talent, vision, and tenacity to fight an abusive and oppressive government like the United States for the benefit of the African American Community shall pay the ultimate price. We honor the support of the California Federation of Teachers and welcome them to this struggle. Free Mumia Abu-Jamal now!

The People’s Champion

I’m David Adams