Pennsylvania Supreme Court To Investigate Alleged Conflicts Of Interest In Mumia Abu-Jamal Case

Joe Holden reports.

POLICE SAY THE TEENAGER WASSHOT FOUR TIMES AND THEY ARELOOKING FOR A NISSAN ALTIMA ORMAXIMA.AND AN ATTORNEYREPRESENTING THE WIDOW OF ASLAIN POLICE OFFICER ISSPEAKING OUT TODAY FOLLOWINGTHE PENNSYLVANIA SUPREMECOURT'S DECISION, TOINVESTIGATE, ALLEGED CONFLICTSOF INTEREST IN THE MUMIAABU-JAMAL CASE."EYEWITNESS NEWS" REPORTER JOEHOLDEN'S OUTSIDE OF THEDISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICETONIGHT, JOE.REPORTER: UKEE, GOODEVENING.PENNSYLVANIA STATE SUPREMECOURT ANNOUNCED IT ISING TO GOASSUME JURISDICTION OF THEMUMIA ABU-JAMAL CASE, AND ALSOANNOUNCING IT IS A INTEREST30ING A SPECIAL MASTER TOLAUNCH AN INVESTIGATION.IN WHAT EXPERTS SAY IS ANEXTRAORDINARY MOVE,PENNSYLVANIA SUPREME COURTORDERED AN INVESTIGATION OFTHE ALLEGED CONFLICTS OFINTEREST WITHIN THEPHILADELPHIA D.A.'S OFFICE.IT CONCERNS THE HANDLING OFTHE CASE OF THE MUMIAABU-JAMAL, WHO WAS CONVICTEDIN THE 1981 MURDER OF OFFICERDANIEL FAULKNER.FILING FOR THE D.A.'S OFFICECALLS THEM BASE LESS.FIRST OF ALL IT ALMOSTNEVER HAPPENS.REPORTER: BUT ATTORNEYGEORGE WHO FILED MATTER ONBEHALF OVERMAN REEN FAULKNEROFFICER FAULKNER'S WIDOWCONTEND SUPREME COURT'SINVOLVEMENT IS VERY TELLING.SO FOR THE SUPREME COURT TOSTEP IN AND SAY OKAY, NOW WEWILL EXAMINE ON OUR OWN WITHOUR INVESTIGATORS HOW YOU ARECARRYING OUT YOUR FUNCTIONS ISEXTRAORDINARY.REPORTER: FOP HAS STOOD BYMAUREEN FAULKNER AND HERPUBLIC EFFORTS TO THEPHILADELPHIA D.A.'S OFFICEREMOVED.I THINK IT IS BIG.REPORTER: JOHN MCNESBY SAYSTIME, ENERGY SPENT OPPOSINGMUMIA ABU-JAMAL'S APPEALS HASTAKEN A TOLL.SHE HAS BEEN GOING THROUGHTHIS FOR 39 YEARS NOW.IT IS NOT A GOOD THING FORHER, HER FAMILY, TO CONSTANTLYOPEN UP THESE WOUNDS.REPORTER: MUMIA SUPPORTERSAMONG OTHER THINGS ARETROUBLED BY DECISIONS OF AFORMER D.A.

WHO LATER SAT ONTHE SUPREME COURT AND HEARDHIS FINAL APPEAL.HIGH COURT HAS HALTED ALLPENDING APPEAL EFFORTS FOR THETIME BEING.SPOKESPERSON FOR THE DISTRICTATTORNEY'S OFFICE SAY THEY DONOT COMMENT ON LITIGATION, BUTWE ALSO REACHED OUT TOATTORNEYS FOR MUMIA ABU-JAMAL,THEY DID NOT GET BACK TO US.WE'RE LIVE OUTSIDE DISTRICTATTORNEY'S OFFICE IN CENTER