Stanley "Tookie" Williams execution
The impending execution or stay thereof from the Govenor today is the big news today.
For anyone who may not know of this case it is whether the life of Tookie Williams should be spared before his scheduled execution at 12:01 tommorow morning.
Tookie was the co-founder of the Crips gang years ago and in that capacity he was accused and convicted of 4 heinous murders that led him to death row at San Quentin.
In that time he has turned his life around and been an advocate of anti-gang activity.
I think its commendable that Tookie has redeemed his life of crime but it doesn't change that he did lead a life of crime that got him into San Quentin.
He claims he is innocent of the crimes of which he was convicted therefore his life should be spared.
He has been on death row for 25 years; in that time I would think given his notariety he would have been able to put together an excellent defense team to reopen his case if this claim were true.
We hear of cases frequently lately that The Innocence Project has taken on and is able to discover new evidence or overlooked evidence to get a case overturned or reopened.
Tookie is a published author and has become the object of much discussion over the years so it isn't as if no one who could help him hasn't heard of him.
I have to assume over the years someone has looked at the facts and decided he was guilty of the charges.
Its true that especially during that time black men were convicted under some questionable circumstances so this was of a concern to me.
He has shown no remorse for the crimes he was convicted of based on his assumption "he didn't do it" so why should he be remorseful.
He has never once attempted to contact any member of a family whose loved one was killed by the crimes in which he was convicted.
I would think if he were savvy enough to get books published from prison he could attempt to get a leter of remorse out to even one family member.
Even a note of symphathy to say he didn't do it but he was sorry for any role he played in the death would have shown me something.
His contention is HE didn't do it; does he know who did and why haven't they come forward after all these years? Is it the gang mentality again to keep up the code of silence?
Prison officials have stated he hasn't been the model prisoner that he projects to be.
Precautions have been under way for weeks to thwart expected gang violence at the news of his execution.
Why hasn't he spoken out and worked with prison officials across the country to ward off prison viloence much less at his death?
Today it was reported that people living in the surrounding area near San Quentin cannot even park their cars near their homes until this is over because of expected violence.
So, yes its commendable that Tookie took action to get books published against joining a gang and to help children take a different direction.
I give him kudos for that; but it wasn't enough in my opinion.
I see all the media attention; the prominent entertainment stars coming out to revoke his execution.Do they know something more than I know? If so, speak up.
Maybe the real leagacy of the life of Stanley "Tookie" Williams will be that if you commit crime it doesn't pay.
The message may be that if you belong to a gang it leads to destruction and death.
I, of course, don't know if he isn't innocent or guilty.
I can only look at the facts.
I know the Govenor has looked at them as well.
The issue isn't whether he redeemed his past and therefore his life should be spared.
The issue is, is he guilty of the crimes he was sentenced to death for and therefore execution is a fit punishment.
Only Tookie and God can know the final outcome.
I wish you well on your journey to the other side Tookie, sincerely.
And if you did find redemption you can continue the work on the other side.
God Bless.
3 comments:
Tookie Wins Clemency!
The Holy Spirit's message on The Christian Prophet blog today says that as long as Tookie lives on earth he pays the price for his mistakes, but when no longer living on earth he is totally forgiven.
Arnold should deny clemency to Stanley “Tookie” Williams. It's time for his victims to have their day of reckoning.
People calling for clemency on behalf of Stanley Williams should remember this: This is the Stanley Williams who co-founded the Crips, setting in motion a legacy of wanton violence. Los Angeles had a history of gangs, but the Crips took gang violence beyond community turf wars. They were known for drive-by shootings and armed robberies, for cruising foreign neighborhoods and picking fights. Membership multiplied quickly, thanks to their fierce reputation, and new gangs formed to protect themselves from their aggression -- including a rival supergang, the Bloods. Since then, hundreds of spinoff Crips gangs have been formed, not only in the United States but also in Belize, Switzerland and South Africa.
If Hitler had lived beyond WWII, been put in prison, and decided to write books condemning the atrocities that took place, would society have spared his life? If Osama bin Laden comes out of hiding and denounces the actions of all who kill in the name of Allah, will society spare his life? The answer is NO to each of these questions. This is the same reason why the execution of Tookie is just. Many lives have been lost due to the gang he founded and the teachings that went along with that. The fact that his philosophy on life has changed does not change the fact that his choices earlier in life caused the death of many.
Post a Comment