Those within the public that listened to the interview of Janice Sallis-Mustafa on WBRG “The Bridge” Blogtalk Radio which aired Thursday night, heard for themselves much of what TPC has published already about the murder case of Phylicia Barnes. Her comments were consistent, and she even had the domestic abuse claims that she allegedly suffered at the hands of her ex-husband Russell Barnes, confirmed by a childhood friend who called in during the show’s broadcast. Janice’s girlfriend stated, “Janice is not a liar, and everything that she said Russell did to her is true, because she was telling me about it while it was happening. That’s the reason they got divorced because he didn’t want Phylicia. I couldn’t believe he was treating her like that while she was pregnant”. The calls filtered in from around the nation, though most opted to simply listen to the broadcast, and the mood was clearly established that there continues to be a public outcry for the pain the Mustafa family has endured throughout the entire ordeal that culminated in the lost of such a beautiful, intelligent, and promising child. The specifics of the case were not discussed in length, but Janice made it clear that she also holds the “half-siblings” accountable for what happened to Phylica. One caller even put it into perspective by saying, “even if they wasn’t involved in her actual killing, they are responsible for not doing what they said they would do while caring for her”. The best part of the entire interview was that the public had the opportunity to hear from Janice and were able to measure her personal and emotional progress since the beginning of her daughter’s case. She admittedly revealed that she has been undergoing counseling to cope with this tragedy, and taking yoga classes to help heal the wounds that the lost of her child has inflicted upon her. Her voice resounds with strength, courage, and epitomizes the depth of a mother’s love for her offspring. All of the negative comments about Janice must now be put to rest simply because she was very competent and focused in the midst of such a challenging upheaval. Having heard from this grieving mom, it should be clear to those with intelligence that her plight is simply marred by tragedy, and the process of overcoming such an ordeal is continuing to develop. Nothing has changed in her story and it continues to cast serious credibility on the Barnes’ perspective about this case. The show took a slight detour when a caller appeared with critical questions for Janice, that challenged her actions while searches were being conducted for Phylicia. The caller raised concerns that she had left the city and disputed claims that Janice had made about non-involvement by the Guardian Angels. The caller also sounded like it could have been Bryan Barnes, Phylicia’s older male half-sibling, but he was quickly shut down by the show’s co-host Corliss King who fiercely argued that no one can establish as a standard the actions that victims of tragedy should display. Corliss highlighted the courage it must have taken for Janice to remove herself from the situation for the benefit of her daughter’s case. However, most callers chimed in with compassion, understanding and prayed for the Mustafas, and acknowledge that they also wanted justice for the murder of Phylicia Barnes. The Show ended with an extremely rare appearance by the normally reserved Raheem Mustafa, who also called in to get a piece of the agitating caller. Raheem has been silent for the most part, but his actions is indicative of the role he continues to play in the Mustafa family as the protector and leader of his household. We have already began plans to have the Mustafas back on the air as the murder case of Phylicia Barnes progresses, but for now we can all rest knowing that Janice, Raheem, and the Mustafa remaining children are progressing well after the onset of such a horrible tragedy. We pray for their peace, closure, and their recovery in the quest for justice in the senseless murder of their child, the late Phylicia Simone Barnes. Listen to the entire entire interview below:
David B. Adams is a journalist, crime writer, and founder of The People's Champion, a platform built on truth, justice, and advocacy for the overlooked. For over a decade, Adams has investigated wrongful convictions, missing and exploited children, homelessness, and the political forces that shape marginalized communities' lives.
What sets his work apart is a refusal to sensationalize. Adams treats crime reporting as human storytelling — pushing past headlines to examine the systemic failures in law enforcement, the courts, and government that so often go unexamined. He's built a reputation among activists and advocates for combining deep research, personal narrative, and unflinching commentary.
The People's Champion began as a personal outlet and has grown into a respected independent voice in crime and justice journalism, read by audiences nationwide who care about accountability and the people too often left out of the story.
