Father in MOVE custody case found dead
Danger of police attack mounts
By Betsey Piette
Philadelphia
Concern that police would use a child custody case involving
a member of MOVE to attack the organization's West Philadelphia
home intensified after Sept. 26. Late that night John Gilbride,
the father suing for custody, was found shot to death
execution-style.
The next morning, police reported that Gilbride's
bullet-ridden body was found outside his apartment in Maple
Shade, N.J.
Gilbride, the ex-husband of MOVE member Alberta Africa, had
bid for custody of the couple's 6-year-old son. Family Court
Judge Howard Rosenberg denied Gilbride's bid last May after a
three-year investigation.
Rosenberg retired before his ruling could be implemented.
His decision to allow Gilbride only supervised visits with his
son was overturned by Judge Shelley Robbins New in a hearing
lasting less than one day last July.
Robbins New had served over 25 years as a Philadelphia
prosecutor. Many people questioned her ability to be impartial
in any case where MOVE was involved.
MOVE and its supporters have repeatedly suggested that the
state was pushing Gilbride to pursue the custody case and using
it in yet another attempt to destroy their organization.
In 1978 Philadelphia police used the excuse of housing code
violations to wage war with MOVE. In 1985, the police claimed
MOVE threatened city officials and unleashed an assault on
their home. Police dropped a bomb on the MOVE house, killing 11
people. The subsequent fire destroyed 63 houses in the African
American neighborhood.
This time the police had no justification to attack the
organization. Gilbride had a documented history as an abusive
father and husband. MOVE's struggle to prevent him from taking
custody of his son had the support of child and women's
advocacy groups. It also had the support of neighbors in both
Philadelphia and Cherry Hill, N.J., where Alberta Africa
lived.
MOVE had taken the offensive to expose the state's plans.
The organization held several press conferences and a motorcade
to Cherry Hill on Sept. 20. Shelley Robbins New had ruled that
Gilbride could take custody of his son that day, but instead he
flew to Las Vegas.
According to police accounts, an automatic weapon was used
to kill Gilbride. No witnesses saw or heard anything in his
residential neighborhood, indicating that the killer used a
silencer.
Pointing to the apparent professional nature of the hit,
MOVE spokesperson Ramona Africa said, "The group believes
Gilbride was killed by the government in a bid to flush out
Alberta Africa." MOVE members expressed sorrow over Gilbride's
murder, stating, MOVE child is left fatherless."
Reports have circulated that Philadelphia District Attorney
Lynn Abraham would use Gilbride's murder to seek warrants to
search the MOVE home. Philadelphia Police Captain William
Fisher, head of the Civil Affairs Unit, said, however, he
"would be shocked" if the slaying investigation led to MOVE.
"I'm going to be honest: I'd say there has been no violence or
vandalism or show of weapons," Fisher said.
Reprinted from the Oct. 10, 2002, issue of
Workers World newspaper
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