February 5, 2014

Members of the Senate Judiciary Committee US Senate Washington, C 20510 ear Senators, Whi!e " #ou!d ha$e %referred to do so %ersona!!y, "&m #riting this !etter a%%ea!ing to your sense of right and #rong, good and e$i! as you consider the nomination of ebo 'degbi!e to be the ne(t head of the Ci$i! )ights i$ision of the e%artment of Justice* +hirty three years ago my husband, ,hi!ade!%hia ,o!ice -fficer anie! Fau!.ner, #as $io!ent!y murdered by a se!f/%rofessed 0re$o!utionary1 named Mumia 'bu/Jama!* " #as t#enty four years o!d* Whi!e most of my friends s%ent their summer at the Jersey Shore, " sat in a hot steamy courtroom and #atched in horror and disbe!ief as the man #ho murdered my husband tried to turn the courtroom into a %o!itica! stage #here he cou!d s%e# his hatred and contem%t for this country and our 2udicia! system* 't the moment my husband&s b!ood stained shirt #as dis%!ayed by the e$idence hand!er, Mumia 'bu/Jama! turned in his chair and smir.ed at me3 demonstrating his contem%t for !a# enforcement* +han.fu!!y, a racia!!y mi(ed 2ury that #as se!ected by 'bu/Jama! #hi!e re%resenting himse!f, found him gui!ty* +he fo!!o#ing day they sentenced him to death for the bruta! act he committed*

+hat&s #hen my second nightmare began* For three decades my fami!y and " endured a%%ea! after a%%ea! 4 each rooted in !ies, distortions and a!!egations of ci$i! rights $io!ations* 'nd year after year, 2udge after 2udge, the con$iction and sentence #ere unanimous!y u%he!d* +hen, thirty years after the fact, my fami!y, society and " #ere denied 2ustice #hen three Federa! istrict Court 2udges #ho ha$e found error in e$ery ca%ita! case that has come before them, o$erturned the death sentence* +oday, as my husband !ies thirty three years in the gra$e, his .i!!er has become a #ea!thy ce!ebrity* 5e %ens boo.s and socia! commentaries critica! of our country* 5e regu!ar!y uses his near!y un!imited access to the %rison te!e%hone to do radio %rograms, has cab!e +6 in his ce!! and is %ermitted to ho!d his #ife, chi!dren and grandchi!dren in his arms #hen they $isit* -!d #ounds ha$e once again been ri%%ed o%en and additiona! insu!t is brought u%on our !a# enforcement community in this country by ,resident -bama&s nomination of ebo 'degbi!e* Whi!e %ub!ica!!y demonstrating that he doesn&t e$en .no# my husband&s name, Mr* 'degbi!e fains sym%athy and caring for my fami!y and me* "n rea!ity, Mr* 'degbi!e #as a #i!!ing and enthusiastic accom%!ice in Mumia 'bu/Jama!&s bid to cheat us of the 2ustice #e #aited so many years for* Mr* 'degbi!e free!y chose to thro# the #eight of his organi7ation behind Mumia 'bu/ Jama!, and he has %ub!ica!!y stated that he #ou!d get Mumia 'bu/ Jama! off death ro#* Mr* 'degbi!e ho!ds Mumia 'bu/Jama!, a remorse!ess unre%entant co% .i!!er, in high esteem* We .no# this because attorneys #or.ing under Mr* 'dgebi!e&s su%er$ision ha$e stood before %ub!ic ra!!ies he!d in su%%ort of my husband&s .i!!er

and o%en!y %rofessed that it #as 0an e(treme honor1 to re%resent the man #ho %ut a ho!!o# based bu!!et into my husband&s brain as he !ay on the ground, #ounded, unarmed and defense!ess* 'nd #hi!e Mr* 'degbi!e and those #ho su%%ort his nomination #i!! undoubted!y argue that he did not %ersona!!y ma.e such statements, he did nothing to counter or sto% them* "n the end, !i.e so many attorneys before him, Mr* 'degbi!e&s a!!egations of ci$i! right abuse rang ho!!o#* Mumia 'bu/Jama!&s death sentence #as o$erturned not because of ci$i! rights abuse as a!!eged by Mr* 'degbi!e, but because three 2udges #ith a %ersona! dis!i.e for ca%ita! %unishment con$enient!y determined that the #ording in a standard form gi$en to the 2ury might ha$e confused them* Whi!e ebo 'degbi!e may be a #e!!/8ua!ified and com%etent !itigator, through his #ords, his decisions and his actions he has c!ear!y and re%eated!y demonstrated that he is not the best %erson to fi!! this im%ortant %osition* Certain!y there are others #ith simi!ar 8ua!ifications that #ou!d be better choices* " #ou!d argue that Mr* 'degbi!e&s decision to defend a co% .i!!er shou!d %rec!ude him from ho!ding any %ub!ic %osition* 9our decision means a !ot to me %ersona!!y* +he thought that Mr* 'degbi!e #ou!d be re#arded, in %art, for the #or. he did for my husband&s .i!!er is re$o!ting* +hroughout my !ong ordea! " ha$e fre8uent!y been !abe!ed a racist by many #ho su%%ort my husband&s .i!!er sim%!y because he is b!ac. and " #hite* " ha$e a!so been as.ed to thro# my name, my $oice and my su%%ort behind %o!itica! candidates from both %arties* "n each case " ha$e dec!ined* " ha$e a!#ays be!ie$ed that my husband&s death and my 8uest for 2ustice transcends %o!itics and race* From my heart,
:

"&m as.ing you to do the same thing* Set aside any %artisan fee!ings you ha$e and do the right thing today #hen you $ote on Mr 'degbi!e&s confirmation* ,!ease s%are my fami!y and me from further %ain*

Sincere!y,

Maureen Fau!.ner