The California State Supreme Court has refused to grant Stanley 'Tookie' Williams a stay of execution. This means that unless the Governor grants clemency or a federal appeal succeeds, Tookie will have seen his last sunrise this morning.
The NAACP claims to have found an eyewitness who will testify that Tookie didn't do the crime, and says that all they need now is 'time to investigate'. I'm not surprised. Can you imagine the notoriety that could come from being the person who saved Tookie's life by testifying at the last minute? Where was this witness over the past 20 plus years whilst Tookie has been stewing on death row? Why did they not come forward sooner?
Forgive my cyncism, but it all seems a little too convienient. All of a sudden, the day before his scheduled execution, there's an 'eyewitness'? Sorry, I don't buy it.
I cannot testify as to Tookie's innocence or guilt. I wasn't there, and I am not privy to all the details that the jury had when they returned their decision of guilty. I do believe, however, that if he comitted the crimes he should be executed. Doing good whilst incarcerated simply isn't good enough. It's relatively easy to behave oneself whilst on death row, and besides, we're talking about the admitted founder of the Crips. Who in their right mind is going to mess with him?
If he did the crime, he has to pay the price. The public and the judicial system will have it's pound of flesh.
Or in Tookie's case, two hundred odd pounds of it.