(reformed) Crips gang founder Stanley "Tookie" Williams / Execution
SAN FRANCISCO - The California Supreme Court late Sunday refused to grant a stay of execution for convicted killer Stanley Tookie Williams, meaning the former gang leader who became an outspoken critic of gang violence will be executed early Tuesday Dec. 12 2005 unless the governor grants clemency or a last-ditch federal appeal succeeds. Williams' supporters also made another pitch directly to the governor Sunday to spare his life, telling Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in a letter that they had a new witness who could help prove Williams' innocence.
I dunno. What'd you guys think?
he also got bloods and crips to agree to an end to gang violence in several major cities. also he has written several childrens books against gang violence.
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CALIFORNIA
Stanley Williams
December 13, 2005
Stanley Williams, a black man, is scheduled to be executed on Dec. 13, 2005 for two robberies resulting in the murders of Alvin Owens, Thsai-Shai Yang, Yen-I Yang, and Yee Chen on Feb. 27, 1979 in Los Angeles County.
Williams maintains his innocence for these two crimes.Â_ However he admits to a life of gang violence and to co-founding the Crips youth gang.Â_ During his 26 total years in prison, 24 of which have been spent on death row, Williams has completely reformed. Â_Williams’ case presents a strong argument for clemency.Â_ During his time on death row, he has written an award-winning series of children's books that warn about the perils of the gang lifestyle; written another book for older children that demythologizes the prison experience (undercutting a myth that prison is some kind of rite of passage for young African-American males); written his own autobiography which renounces gang violence; produced a peace protocol to help street gangs turn to peaceful behaviour; and founded an Internet-based peer mentoring and anti-gang program involving children in the United States, Switzerland, and South Africa.
His work played a prominent role in gang truces in Los Angeles and Newark, New Jersey. In 2004, after watching a film that depicts Williams' life (Redemption, in which the actor Jamie Foxx plays Stanley Williams), more than 300 members of the Crips and Bloods gangs in Newark, New Jersey, signed a peace treaty, agreeing to end gang violence.
Inspired by Williams' work against violence, a member of the Swiss Parliament has nominated him for the Nobel Peace Prize. Furthermore, President George W. Bush's Council on Service and Civic Participation bestowed upon Stanley Williams the “Presidential Call to Service Award.â€? The letter congratulating Williams for the award praised him for having contributed to the “build[ing of] a culture of citizenship, service, and responsibility in America.â€? Â_This special award "honors those who have provided more than 4,000 hours of service over the course of their lifetime.â€?
In addition to the obvious problems with executing someone who has so clearly reformed and who may serve a meaningful purpose to society if allowed to live, there are also problems with Williams’ trial.Â_ At Williams’ request, no mitigating evidence was presented at trial, although such evidence was available.Â_ According to the Supreme Court of California in the People v. Deere, such a lack of any mitigating evidence, even in accord with the defendant’s wish, renders the penalty determination constitutionally unreliable.Â_ Oddly, the very same court ruled against Williams when the same circumstances existed.Â_
Moreover, Williams’ trial counsel allowed the prosecutor to unconstitutionally strike three black potential jurors.Â_ Two had been drawn, passed for cause, and had been placed in the jury box.Â_ One had been drawn as an alternate juror.Â_ The striking to potential jurors for no reason other than their race is a violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution.
It is also important to note that Williams’ defense counsel neglected to object to the prosecutor’s unconstitutional juror strikes.Â_ This failure of defense counsel is a clear violation of the defendant’s right to effective assistance of counsel.Â_ As stated by the dissenting opinion in Williams’ U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals’ rejection of his motion for re-hearing “[a]ny reasonable attorney under the circumstances of this case would have objected to the prosecutor’s use of peremptory challenges to rid the jury of African-Americans.â€?
The same dissent also points out that “[t]here is a reasonable probability that Williams would have succeeded in proving that the prosecutor was engaging in impermissible racial discrimination.â€?Â_ Had trial counsel objected this probability may have been realized.Â_ The same dissent continues by stating that such an error is “sufficient to undermine confidence in the outcome of the trial.â€?Â_Â_Â_Â_
Clearly Stanley Williams is not an appropriate candidate for the death penalty.Â_ His trial was riddled with extraordinary constitutional violations.Â_ Additionally Williams has reformed in prison and can serve as an asset to society while serving a term of life in prison without possibility of parole.
Please write toÂ_GovernorÂ_Arnold SchwarzeneggerÂ_to commuteÂ_Stanley Williams'sÂ_sentence to life imprisonment.
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http://www.demaction.org/dia/organizations/ncadp/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=1592
http://www.savetookie.org/
:edit: copy and paste didnt work well for this, so click the first link if you want to read it without the annoying characters.
now make way for the antagonist trolls. "good, kill him" etc
I know a few people on this post who should be executed for not shutting the hell up, lol
Anyway, I'm neutral on the Tookie thing. Killing and getting killed is bad just or not. I think it may be a deterrent but sometimes the system fails but then again sometimes some crimes are mad severe to the point where it lies in between insane and criminal mind. That interface is the part that keeps me undecided.
I was reading about this very issue this AM, in the SF Chronicle. (I live in SF) Look, I'm glad this guy has performed some measure of pennance for his misdeeds. However, if the whole world got away with murder, simply by telling kids not to do it after they, themselves, already had...then what is the over all message we're sending? Sorry, but the guy has his punishment coming.
When he's dead, he'll serve as an even BETTER example of a reason NOT to join gangs. If he was so concerned with stopping kids from joining gangs, he might realize that. But, he's got a good thing going in jail. Sometimes, celebrities shed light on a descent issue, but 9 times out of 10, they just jump on a band wagon for their own selfish reasons....namely publicity.
Originally posted by PVS
im not for freeing the guy.
just against murdering him.
I understand your logic. How can we impose death on one person for commiting murder, without looking hypocritical? Death is death is death. And killing a man on the streets with a knife is no different than strapping a man into a chair and frying him with electricity.
But, I believe that that is the right of a government than has the support of the laws behind it. Once the death penalty is no longer an option, then I'll feel differently. But I hope it never isn't an option.
It's a circular argument, on which we all have our own opinion.
And my opinion is, let him swing.
Originally posted by KidRock
# To kill (another human) unlawfully.
# To kill brutally or inhumanly.
The unlawful killing of one human by another, especially with premeditated malice.Death penalty isnt unlawful killing..also you cant prove it is inhumane. So no, it is not murder.
Inhuman? I'm sure alot of people think the Death Penalty is inhuman
I am not a huge fan of the death penealty, however, that was his sentence, and it's not like he earned it having killed on person execution-style and a family of three innicent people.
The problem is(as I see it) if he is granted clemency, then that will be seen as a victory by all the wrong people. Further emboldening them to continue a violent lifestyle that's main thrust is the victimization of others..