During that investigation two months after Abu-Jamal's 12/81 arrest two policemen suddenly remembered that they heard Abu-Jamal utter a confession. One of those two policemen had filed a report hours after Abu-Jamal's arrest stating Abu-Jamal made "no comments" -- during the very time this officer later claimed Abu-Jamal confessed. When asked why he neglected to report the critical confession evidence that officer lamely stated he didn't realize Abu-Jamal's [alleged] confession was important -- a preposterous explanation accepted by state and federal courts upholding Abu-Jamal's conviction.
Opponents of Abu-Jamal have waged scorched-earth campaigns against him and others who believe he received a legally unfair trial and appellate review. U.S. Senators, in the early 1990s, barred NPR from airing Abu-Jamal commentaries on prison life. Conservatives used Abu-Jamal in 2009 to tar White House advisor Van Jones forcing his ejection from the Obama administration. Jones, a lawyer, had, years earlier, called for a new trial for Abu-Jamal.
Philadelphia U.S. Congressman Chaka Fattah called the Senate rejection of Debo Adegbile a "travesty." Fattah has been targeted for political retribution by Philadelphia's FOP because he supported a fair trial for Abu-Jamal.
"This action by the Senate may influence the willingness of lawyers to represent clients in unpopular circumstances," Fattah said. "America's justice system works on the adversarial process with good lawyers on both sides--
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