by Michael Z. Muhammad
PHILADELPHIA (FinalCall.com)�Melancholy hangs over the MOVE
compound like a heavy cloud as a custody dispute has spiraled into a
homicide investigation.
John Gilbride Jr., 34, former husband of senior MOVE member Alberta
Africa who was at the center of an angry custody battle with the
religious group MOVE over unsupervised visits with his son, was found
shot to death, execution style, at approximately 11:30 p.m. on Sept. 27.
According to news accounts, the killer was very familiar with Mr.
Gilbride. He was bushwhacked as he returned to his New Jersey home from
his job as a baggage supervisor for US Airways at Philadelphia
International Airport. After parking his car, he was gunned down in a
hail of bullets, shattering the glass on the driver�s side window.
He was left for dead with his car still running, radio blaring and
windshield wipers on. Police said an automatic weapon was used. The
shooting occurred in a residential area but neighbors heard nothing,
police said, of the murder that had all the trappings of a professional
hit.
It came after an acrimonious week in which MOVE held a demonstration
in Cherry Hill, N.J., and barricaded their southwest Philadelphia home
in preparation for a confrontation with authorities following what they
termed an illegal court order that allowed Mr. Gilbride unsupervised
visits with his 6-year-old son Zachary.
Pam Africa, a MOVE spokesperson, told The Final Call the
organization was deeply saddened by the death of Mr. Gilbride.
"He was with us for 10 years and we cared for him," Ms. Africa said.
"MOVE believes in love, not hate, and MOVE never hated John Gilbride."
Ms. Africa said she and her organization are clear that the murder
was committed by the government to escalate the current situation. She
likened the situation to the recent human rights meeting held in Durban,
South Africa, where the United States walked out and subsequently
September 11, 2001 happened.
"MOVE is committed to protecting our children but we�re not killers
or murderers. Our real fight has always been this rotten government, not
with John Gilbride, because MOVE is very clear on who the real enemy is
here. John was nothing but a pawn," Ms. Africa said.
A statement issued by the International Friends of Move Network
stated that the murder was another attempt to destroy the organization.
"Rather than take the opportunity to finally do the right thing by
MOVE, they instead chose to escalate the situation by murdering the
father. They knew that John Gilbride had the potential to come back to
MOVE � so they upped the ante. They took a man�s life, a father away
from a child, a son from his parents, and widowed a woman to further
persecute the MOVE organization."
Burlington County Prosecutor Robert D. Bernardi told the press that
investigators were pursuing some leads in the killing. He said they
would probably want to talk with MOVE members, specifically Alberta
Africa.
To this Pam Africa retorted that MOVE had nothing to hide. She said
that early on in the custody dispute MOVE had Common Pleas Judge Howard
Rosenberg over to their home. He subsequently issued an order allowing
Mr. Gilbride to see his son during supervised visits.
Following his retirement, another judge, Shelly Robbins New, granted
Mr. Gilbride unsupervised visits every other weekend to the great
consternation of MOVE, who contend he was abusive to both his wife and
son.
Mr. Gilbride�s attorney, Sheryl Rentz, said that despite the picture
MOVE painted, he was an upstanding citizen who was dedicated to his son.
"He had good values. He was a good person, a strong person," Ms.
Rentz said.