 The defense maintained that Abu @-@ Jamal was innocent and that the prosecution witnesses were unreliable . The defense presented nine character witnesses , including poet Sonia Sanchez , who testified that Abu @-@ Jamal was " viewed by the black community as a creative , articulate , peaceful , genial man " . Another defense witness , Dessie Hightower , testified that he saw a man running along the street shortly after the shooting although he did not see the actual shooting itself . His testimony contributed to the development of a " running man theory " , based on the possibility that a " running man " may have been the actual shooter . Veronica Jones also testified for the defense , but she did not see anyone running . Other potential defense witnesses refused to appear in court . Abu @-@ Jamal did not testify in his own defense . Nor did his brother , William Cook , who told investigators at the crime scene : " I ain 't got nothing to do with this . " 
 The defense maintained that Abu @-@ Jamal was innocent and that the prosecution witnesses <a href='uninflect' title='1'><mark>were</mark></a> unreliable . The defense presented nine character witnesses , including poet Sonia Sanchez , <a href='null_relcl' title='2'><mark>who</mark></a>testified that Abu @-@ Jamal was " viewed by the black community as a creative , articulate , peaceful , genial man " . Another defense witness , Dessie Hightower , testified that he saw a man running along the street shortly after the shooting although he did not see the actual shooting itself . His testimony contributed to the development of a " running man theory " , based on the possibility that a " running man " may have been the actual shooter . Veronica Jones also testified for the defense , but she did not see anyone running . Other potential defense witnesses refused to appear in court . Abu @-@ Jamal did not testify in his own defense . Nor did his brother , William Cook , <a href='null_relcl' title='3'><mark>who</mark></a>told investigators at the crime scene : " I ain 't got nothing to do with this . " 
The defense maintained dat Abu @-@ Jamal was innocent and tdatda prosecution witnesses was unreliable . Tdadefense presented nine character witnesses , including poet Sonia Sanchez , testified that Abu @-@ Jamal was " viewed by thdalack community as a creative , articulate , peaceful , genial man " . Another defense witness , Dessie Hightower , testified that he saw a man runnin along the street shortly after the shootin although he did not see the actual sshootinitself . His testimony contributed to the development of a " running man theory " , based on the possibility that a " running man " may have been the actual shooter . Veronica Jones also testified fir thedafense , but she did not see anyone running . Other potential defense witnesses refused to appear in court . Abu @-@ Jamal did not testify in his own defense . Nor did his brother , William Cook , tld investigators at the dame scene : " I ain 't got nothing to do with dis . "