Tookie Williams, former leader of the L.A. Crips gang, didn’t turn out to be a good poster child for abolishing the death penalty. Most who had examined the evidence thought he was guilty of the cold-blooded murders he was accused of committing.
True, he wrote some children’s books that disavowed gang violence. He seemed to have changed and found a way to be useful to society. But as California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said in refusing to pardon him, Williams also never apologized or showed any remorse for his crimes. And legally, it was pretty clear that his options had run out.
Still, the battle over whether he deserved to be pardoned — and even the bungled lethal injection procedure itself — underscored just how flawed and subjective the death penalty process is.
Posted by Randy Scholfield
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19 Comments
OK, I’ve agreed with two (count ‘em 2!!) of Randy’s recent arguments. Maybe I need to go see the doctor.
“Tookie” may or may not have renounced his crimes, but he was unequivically pronounced guilty of the crimes he was charged with: mudering four innocent people in two seperate robberies.
As Galahad said, the first thing one must do when changing their lives is admit the truth. Tookie never did that. Arnold said that was the deciding factor in refusing to save him from execution.
Ther man was a thug and murdered and got what he deserved.
It’s a shame when we as “the state” end a human life. It’s nice that Williams wrote a couple of kids books, but his lasting legacy will be remembered as a blight on society, the Crips. Thanks for nothing, Tookie.
I guess the thing that really bothers me about the Hollywood crowd is this: Would any of them let have Tookie date their fifteen year old daughter? If the answer is no, they’re hypocrites. If yes, they’re fools.
I gotta say, he has me wondering. If he was really so amoral and anti-social, what would have been the big deal about saying he was sorry even if he weren’t? On the other hand, he claimed his innocence even to the point of being executed. I don’t know of anyone in my circle of acquaintances who’d let themselves be executed just to keep a lie alive.
He may have been guilty of lots worthy of execution, but he was convicted on 4 alleged murders. Maybe he really didn’t commit these.
Bungled injection? It took a little longer than normal, but wasn’t ‘bungled’, it got the job done.
It is amazing how many people “change” once they hit death row. Is it a sham? Not being a mind reader, I have no clue. Seems pretty common, tho.. for convicted murderers to either turn religion or become a changed person.
You don’t need a poster boy to oppose the death penalty. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger was just thinking about the next election. Either you oppose executing people or you’re willing to play God and decide who’s life is valuable and who’s is not.
Otto,Arnold Schwarzenegger was doing what the courts demanded when they sentenced Tookie to death for slaughtering four innocent people with a shotgun during two seperate robberies. Tell me, who was playing God, Arnold or Tookie?
It’s not uncommon for those in prison to “be redeemed”. It’s part of the anti social personality. They almost always do well with structure and strict guidlines, which prison provides. If allowed out back into society, most would go right back to their criminal ways.”Tookie” deserved to lose his life, that’s the choice he made when he murdered those people. Writng a children’s book is small payment for the lives that were lost due to him and his gang. It’s sick that there are those that choose to make him some sort of hero and victim, he was far from it.
It was touched on in an earlier post.But there is a moral question, if you were accused of a murder and sentenced to death. But had not killed anyone. Would you admit to the murder and act sorry to get out of the exacution? But instead serve natural life in prison.
Writerdog (and others) -
The question is if you were innocent, would you admit to murder in HOPE that you would avoid execution. Even an admission would be no guarantee. Perhaps admiting to the crime you didn’t know would just cause the governor to say we have the right man so go for it.
To J M Walker:To answer your question… both. Since when do two wrongs make a right?
An eye for an eye, Otto. “Tookie” choose to give up his life when he took the lives of others. He is the only one to blame for his death.
He was upset it took them a few minutes to find his veins…..Oh, gee, I am so sorry.I could have found them real quick, but brobably would have let him wait awhile.
A lot of europeans are mad that he got snuffed out but hey……………………..
The death penalty happens every day in LA. Most often too its the innocent shopkeeper or bystander that gets it.One of Stanley Williams’ children, Stanley “Little Tookie” Williams, Jr., has also been convicted of murder. Little Tookie, a Neighborhood Crip, was found guilty of shooting a 20 year-old woman to death in an alley off Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood.
Thats the way the TOOKIE crumbles
I am not from Wichita so I don’t know much about what is going on there. I am just wondering if on this 5th anniversary of the horrific kidnap/rape/mass murders of all those good people there is any kind of tribute being paid to them. I haven’t seen any news articles about that atrocity. It is sad that the media seem to have no interest. I know the KS death penalty statute is in doubt at this time but I will be eager to see the 2 savages who brought so much horror to so many innocent victims put to death.
First off folks, ask anyone who has done time and they will tell you that there are NO guilty people in prison. And they all get religion, in one form or another. It’s all part of life inside. All part of the game. “Tookie” MURDERED four people. Took their lives, with no regards for their families, friends, what they may or may not have done for the world around them. The actions of an animal. “Tookie” is dead, justice (remember that word???) has been served, and life goes on.
After all those years of people trying to find a way to get Williams off, even the liberal courts of California overwhelmingly and uniformly agreed, time and again, that the trial was fair and he was absolutly guilty.
There is considerable doubt that Williams actually wrote those “books.”
There is even more doubt that any kids read them or were affected by them.
There is no doubt that Williams was a brutal prisoner. He never reformed.
Using him as a poster boy for death penalty changes shows the desperate absurdity of the anti-death-penalty syndicate.
We need to go back to public hangings — better yet, the firing squad.
It’s pretty scary how many people rallied behind him. Where is their concern for his victims and their loved ones? Where was the justice for them?I agree, why should his death be so painless and peaceful? Even death by firing squad would be more merciful than the mercy he showed his victims. He’s where he need to be.
Goodbye dirtbag, glad your ass is gone.Redeemed? I doubt it but hey, who cares now, we got the last laugh