Whoever sheds man’s blood, by man his blood shall be shed; for in the image of God He made man.
—Genesis 9:6

David Faulkner Video

According to the Justice for Daniel Faulkner web site, supported by his family, friends, and other police officers, the Daniel Faulkner story took a dramatic turn 25-years ago in 1981, less than one year after Daniel had been married.

On December 9, 1981, at approximately 3:55 a.m., Officer Danny Faulkner, a five year veteran of the Philadelphia Police Department, made a traffic stop at Locust Street near Twelfth Street. The car stopped by Officer Faulkner was being driven by William Cook. After making the stop, Danny called for assistance on his police radio and requested a police wagon to transport a prisoner. Unbeknownst to him, William Cook's brother, Wesley (aka Mumia Abu-Jamal) was across the street. As Danny attempted to handcuff William Cook, Mumia Abu-Jamal ran from across the street and shot the officer in the back. Danny turned and was able to fire one shot that struck Abu-Jamal in the chest; the wounded officer then fell to the pavement. Mumia Abu-Jamal stood over the downed officer and shot him four more times at close range, once directly in the face. Mumia Abu-Jamal was found still at the scene of the shooting by officers who arrived there within seconds. The murderer was slumped against the curb in front of his brother's car. In his possession was a .38 caliber revolver that records showed Mumia had purchased months earlier. The chamber of the gun had five spent cartridges. A cab driver, as well as other pedestrians, had witnessed the brutal slaying and identified Mumia Abu-Jamal as the killer both at the scene and during his trial. On July 2, 1982, after being tried before a jury of ten whites and two blacks, Mumia Abu-Jamal was convicted of murdering Officer Danny Faulkner. The next day, the jury sentenced him to death after deliberating for two hours. The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania heard the defendant's appeals and upheld the conviction on March 6, 1989.

Several eyewitnesses other than the police had placed Mumia at the scene of the crime as it occurred. Yet for several years, it's been fashionable for the political Left—whether the Manhatten limousine liberals, the Hollywood elite, college campus Che Guevera boosters, the rank socialists in the World Workers Party, and of course the enlightened people of France and Holland—to make a convicted cop-killer into their haloed acolyte, folk hero and victim. What does this sad truth reveal about the apathy and brutulization of our culture? Where is America as a nation, and indeed the West headed? The nihilistic culture of the 1960s "Me Generation" literally relishes in anti-authority rebellion, decadence, deviance, and lawlessness. It is a culture that has no soul. It is down right shameful. Young people are overwhelmed with mass-media entertainment messages that celebrates crime, murder and wanton killing with video games like Grand Theft Auto. That same debased popular culture makes heroes out of real-life mobster thugs John Gotti and Henry Hill who deserved to be behind bars. Hollywood produces no shortage of garbage films like Menace II Society, Goodfellas, New Jack City, Scarface, and the Sopranos. Meanwhile the debauched Rockapolazoo festivals are peddling collectible trading cards of cop-killers and criminals to impress upon the hapless minds of our youth. Such is the peril of modernity.

Paul Mulshine, a journalist writing for the Star-Ledger in New Jersey cast derision on the Leftist cause of lauding the acquittal and release of a convicted murderer in an article entitled Some People Will Believe Anything:

This whodunit occupied the attention of right-thinking people from Berlin to Berkeley, Holland to Hollywood. The question was who killed Daniel Faulkner, a Philadelphia police officer who was shot between the eyes with a pistol on a cold December night in 1981.

One suspect was Mumia Abu-Jamal, a former Black Panther activist whose gun was found at the scene of the crime with five spent cartridges in it. Another suspect was Mumia Abu-Jamal, a former radio journalist whose brother was being arrested by Officer Faulkner at the time of the incident. A third suspect was Mumia Abu-Jamal, who was hit by a shot from Faulkner's pistol and had his own gun at his feet when arrested.

So whodunit? Here's a shocker: It was Mumia Abu-Jamal. That's the only possible conclusion after the latest absurd development in the increasingly absurd saga of Mumia Abu-Jamal.

But the tragedy doesn't end there. The murderer Mumia-Abu Jamal had his death row sentence commuted to life in prison. Moreover, in spite of all factual evidence to the contrary, such as the fact that Mumia was caught red handed with the smoking gun only seconds after the incident as other officers arrived on the scene, he continues to maintain his innocence and alleges an elaborate police frame-up. He likens himself to being a political prisoner, and prattles off his leftist journalism and radio broadcasts.

In the aftermath, a biased video documentary produced by radical Leftists in the 1990s aired on HBO (owned by Time-Warner.) This particular film was completely slanted against all factual evidence, and presented Mumia as a political prisoner of an oppressive system that framed him. It was nothing but propaganda and lies. Mumia Abu-Jamal has come to regarded as a folk hero of the radical Left and capital punishment opponents. The former militant Black Panther has been victimized tirelessly by left-wing celebrities, journalists, political activists and the mass-media. Musician De la Rocha aired his support for Mumia on April 12, 1999. The United Nations Commission on Human Rights convenes hearings on behalf of the convicted cop killer. Actors like Susan Sarandon proclaims Mumia's innocence. Musicians Sting, Rage Against the Machine, and the Beasty Boys all rally behind the cop-killer cause of Mumia Abu-Jamal. Dutch activists paint Free Mumia graffiti in front of the U.S. embassy in the Netherlands. Appropriately, an enclave of Paris named a street after Mumia. Soviet mass-murderer Joseph Stalin gets a street in Paris bearing his name, so why not a street named after a convicted American cop killer? I guess it befits the unsavory reputation of Maximilien Robespierre's hometown which hosted the debauched French Revolution. On December 6, 2006, the U.S. House of Representatives voted 368-31 in favor of HR407, "Condemning the decision of St. Denis, France, to name a street in honor of Mumia Abu-Jamal, the convicted murderer of Philadelphia Police Officer Danny Faulkner." All those opposed were Democrats of course.

Faulkner's widow Maureen recollected confronting a twenty-something man in California who was wearing a Free Mumia t-shirt in a convenience store. She informed the young man that her husband was killed by Mumia and politely offered to send him some corrective factual literature and information on the matter to counter the propaganda he had succombed to. The young man expressed his disinterest. I don't care is quite naturally the anthem of those who reflexively celebrate the victimhood of a convicted murderer.

Revisiting the mass-media celebration of Mumia, it should be duly noted, that Time-Warner's promotion of cop-killing does not stop with wrongly making a martyr out of a murderer. As Dennis R. Martin, former President, National Association of Chiefs of Police notes, "While on patrol in July 1992, two Las Vegas police officers were ambushed and shot by four juvenile delinquents who boasted that Ice-T's Cop Killer gave them a sense of duty and purpose, to get even with 'a [explicative] pig.' The juveniles continued to sing its lyrics when apprehended." Rapper Ice-T had a song about cop killing and that same Ice-T had a record contract with Time-Warner. Former actor Charlton Heston was so disturbed by the garbage promoted by Time-Warner, he made it a point to appear at the Time-Warner shareholders meeting and read the lyrics of the Cop Killer song to a shocked crowd of investors. One of Time-Warner's big stock-in-trade besides obscenity is apparently profiteering off of homicidal incitations directed at America's law enforcement community. To add insult to injury that same company later demeans the death of a slain police officer by making his murderer into a victim. Isn't a boycott in order? All decent citizens should ditch Home Box Office, Time Magazine, Time-Warner Cable.

This cultural Marxism hits home too. A Sheriff's Deputy Frankie Betterton in my home county was tragically killed in the line of duty in 2002. The perpetrator Roy Inge was in my high school senior class. Roy threw away his life, and even worse shattered the lives of the Betterton family and his friends over something trivial. Inge was without remorse declaring he "killed a white [explicative] cop" to a jailhouse informant. Inge was inebrated in a popular culture that espoused hatred of authority, drug use, and rebellion. Roy's transformation in high school was quite gradual but noticeable nonetheless. He went from being a relatively straight-laced and clean-cut freshman to having a reputation as a thug. As The Officer Down Memorial Page reports:

Deputy Frankie Betterton was shot and killed while making a traffic stop on US Highway 58 near Danville, Virginia at approximately 1430 hours.

Deputy Betterton had two vehicles pulled over at this traffic stop. One vehicle was being driven by a male, and the other vehicle was driven by his friend. After letting the friend go, Deputy Betterton had the male sit in his patrol car.

The male, who was seated in the passenger seat, produced a .380 caliber handgun and shot Deputy Betterton once in the head. The male fled the scene but was apprehended the following morning at approximately 0530 hours. The male was charged and convicted with capital murder and the jury recommended the death penalty, but the judge instead sentenced the male to life in prison.

Deputy Betterton had been employed with the Pittsylvania County Sheriff's Office for three years, and is survived by his wife, son, and two daughters.

Another Sheriff's Deputy who was a close family friend of my household was out on duty at the time. During that agonizing time, that deputy's family had heard that an unnamed officer had been shot and killed. They had no idea about the whereabouts of their loved one for several agonizing hours. Such is the anxiety of a family of a police officer. And only God knows the anxiety and heartache that came upon the Betterton family.

May God have grace and mercy on those law enforcement families in bereavement who have lost loved ones in the line of duty, and may the Lord protect those who serve faithfully and do not abuse their public trust. We have checks and balances in place to guard against police abuse. Moreover, God will bring us all to account for our lives. Everyone is under the law—including those who enforce it. Abusus non tollit usum. Wrong use does not preclude proper use (Romans 13). But the vast majority in local and state law enforcement serve faithfully. We should keep them in our prayers. Frankie Betterton and Daniel Faulkner served faithfully. Frankie Betterton was a deacon in his local Methodist church. And Danny Faulkner was from a faithful Irish Catholic family. They were good and decent men.

The Police Officer's Prayer:

When I start my tour of duty God
wherever crime may be,
As I walk the darkened streets alone,
let me be close to Thee.

Please give me understanding
with both the young and old.
Let me listen with attention
until their story's told.

Let me never make a judgment
in a rash or callous way,
but let me hold my patience,
let each man have his say.

Lord, if some dark and dreary night,
I must give up my life.
Lord, with your understanding love,
protect my children and wife.

Justice for Daniel Faulkner -
http://www.danielfaulkner.com/