Mayor Street apologizes

[Freddie Stubbs]

Calls widow of cop in wake of 'welcome'

By CHRIS BRENNAN

[e-mail]


Mayor Street yesterday apologized to the widow of Philadelphia Police Officer Daniel Faulkner for the official city greeting and small replica Liberty Bells given Friday to two French politicians in town for a protest in support of Mumia Abu-Jamal.

Street, in a private phone call, told her he believes Abu-Jamal murdered her husband in 1981 and was sentenced appropriately, Maureen Faulkner said.

Abu-Jamal was sentenced to death in 1982 but a federal judge in 2001 said he should be resentenced to life in prison or receive a new trial.

Faulkner is still appalled that Street's staff allowed an impromptu rally for the convicted cop killer to happen in City Hall.

more: http://www.philly.com/mld/dailynews/news/local/10903256.htm

[IrishDemocrat]

1. Well..

This only helps my opinion of him oh so very slightly. Street was one Democrat I did not vote for in 2003 and I stand by that decision to this day. I must also mention the "pay to play" scandals, but I'll get into that some other time.

[LynneSin]

2. I am opposed to the death penalty....

...but I'm tired of Abu-Jamal being some sort of poster boy for anti-death penalty.

I truly believe that he commited the crime and in jail is where he should be. I also believe that any problems with his trial was due to the fact that he made it difficult for any defense lawyer to defend him which ultimately lead to Abu-Jamal defending himself at one point.

I don't care who flames me but the man is guilty. He should get life in prison along with anyone else on death row!

[mrgorth]

3. Agreed

the pro-mumia crowd is an albatross on our necks.

[bleedingheart]

4. I agree

I believe he is guilty and that making him a poster boy for the anti-death penalty group is a bad idea since the crime he committed was rather cold-blooded.

I also think that a lot of people who are standing up for him don't have any clue about his conviction. I recall many years ago this one actor who was pro-mumia was asked some questions about the case and he was basically clueless...sorry but I wouldn't be standing up for this guy if I had no clue about his case....If the guy had some inkling of the evidence I would have had more respect for him but he looked like a deer in the headlights when the reporter informed him about the trial...