Stan 'Tookie' Williams

[Ace]

Down to Arnie it seems.
Very intresting story, didn't know he'd been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize 5 times.
For those like S56 who are in the dark with this one, Tookie is due to be executed for 4 murders he is supposed to have committed in 1978. Debatable verdict, but has done 25+ years and has found 'Redemption'.......not in the 'Found God' vein like so many seem to find on Death Row, but a reaction to violence he lived on and for. Founder member of notorious LA Gang The Crips. What is suprising is that new-members of The Crips have no idea who the fuck Tookie is. Worth checking the www.tookie.com site out...........chances are he be executed by the weekend, then you can read all about it on newsgroups on the net

[Jacques]

There was a thread about him not so long ago - someone was asking about his book if I remember correctly - unbelievable story, Land of the Free indeed.......

[nachovx]

Listen to the execution live on KABC .... it'a going to be on the Al Rantel show, live from the venue. That's freedom of speach.

[DavidS]

He was executed this morning. Even amongst people who usually support the death sentence, most would say a delay of 24 years is totally unreasonable. Yet again it raises questions about the morality of the USA.

[one eyed jack]

I would say serving 24 years behind bars would have been enough for any man to reflect on his crimes and given what he has done may indeed have redeemed himself but his crimes were such that he ripped four people violently out of this world...not one. It was going to be a tough call even for Schwarzenegger....lets face it, hes a former actor in a position of power. He can't seen to be weak.

Then on the other hand I've always been against the death penalty because i've always questioend what right does anyone else have to take the life of a murderer. In my rationale thats tantamount to making us murderers and no better than the man himself. Should the executioner go to prison also for taking life?

I think the man paid his price by losing a quarter of a century of his liberty and in that time denounced violence and went on to become recognised for his good work....

My judgement would have been to let the guy out on the proviso he continued the good work and through his new beliefs help heal the gang problem that he also founded...I fear the crips situation is way past his influence now though...Not that it makes a difference now....Tough call.

[Deuce Bigolo]

The death penalty should at worst be replaced by life imprisionment without parole IMHO

How many lives has he saved through his good work?

I do wonder why our jails masquerade under the job description of punishment & rehabilitation when its clear their all about punishment
to appease the naive public

A senseless waste to appease Society and its foolhardy notion that the death penalty is just and deters

cheers
B....OZ

[planeterotica]

Apparently the execution didnt go very well and it was several minutes before he died in a distress state.

[Arnold Layne]

Arnold spends his life making viiolent films, then has a hand in executung a man determined to show other's a better way, what a cunt!

R.I.P Tookie

[nachovx]

I don't really know what to think of this ... he maintained he never committed the murders, but he was found guilty and all appeals failed - and in all likelihood he was behind a lot more slayings, even if he never pulled the trigger himself - you can't be leader of the Crips and not take responsibility in some way. Arnold Schwarzenegger denied Williams' request for clemency, suggesting that his supposed change of heart was not genuine because he had not shown any real remorse for the killings committed by the Crips ... I don't think these are Arnie's real views, he's bound-up in the political system and has to do what appears to be right.

I think he was once an evil man - but whether that was true at the end is debatable, 24 years in prison would change most people - and I don't think he personally posed any future danger to American society ... he was probably more value alive than dead and any work he could do from behind bars to deter future gang members could maybe be useful, or at best not harmful.

Whether he was guilty or not, whether he should have been executed, I don't really know ... but it just seems wrong to cold bloodedly execute someone 24 years down the line. I don't think the death penalty deters murder ... all it does is take the murderer out of the system after the fact.

[Cenobitez]

Morals and USA ? hahehahehahe