Tookie will die tonight.

Published on December 12, 2005 By dharmagrl In Current Events

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has denied Stanley 'Tookie' Willims request for clemency, stating:

“After studying the evidence, searching the history, listening to the arguments and wrestling with the profound consequences, I could find no justification for granting clemency. The facts do not justify overturning the jury’s verdict or the decisions of the courts in this case.”

So that's it then. All appeals have been exhausted, all requests for clemency have been denied. Tookie will be executed by lethal injection shortly after midnight tonight.

I don't know if he's guilty or not. I haven't seen all the details; I wasn't part of the trial and I didn't have access to any restricted material. Even if I HAd seen them....my opinion wouldn't matter anyway because I wasn't part of the jury.

I've said it before and I will continue to say it: if there is ANY doubt about the guilt of the accused, the death penalty shouldn't be an option. However, if Tookie is guilty, he should have to pay the price and submit to the judgement of the court.

After tonight, there won't be anyone left who knows what REALLY happened.

They'll all be dead.

Comments (Page 1)

Dr Guy

on Dec 12, 2005

Just saw this. And by the forum time, you beat me by a minute! I posted it on your last sunrise Article.

HC1240

on Dec 12, 2005

I don't know all the details, but from the news reports I'm hearing it doesn't sound like there's any reason to doubt that he is guilty. They are asking for clemency not because he didn't commit the crime, but on the basis of his having written some childrens' books encouraging kids not to participate in gangs.

I don't know. Guess I don't really have an opinion. Like you, I don't have all the facts. Interesting that my Wednesday evening Bible study is looking at capital punishment as a topic this week. Go figure.

bakerstreet

on Dec 12, 2005

I wonder if there will be riots, and if they are even preparing for the possibility...

Janders

on Dec 12, 2005

Like HC said I don't think there is a lot of doubt that he commited the crimes, I think they were fighting the Death penalty because hes a "changed man".

Dr Guy

on Dec 12, 2005

BEFORE YOU CONDEMN A MAN YOU MUST STUDY HIS WORK.

I dont think anyone has condemned. Someone was sentenced. ON this blog at least, no one is passing judgement. Just discussing the facts.

joeKnowledge

on Dec 12, 2005

I heard about this. I don't know too much about it either. I am sure there are some strong opinions about this one and reform.

Is prision for reform? Is it just a holding patern?

I think that is the argument for many people: why have prisions and hilding cells when people change just for them to be put to death anyway (or worst, set free and have to live with the record of being in jail and not finding work).

Its one of those crime and punishment things.

I wonder how this will be looked upon later on next year.

Bakerstreet: I doubt there will be any riots. I think most people know he was guilty of so much more than what he was put to jail for (whether he actually did it might be another question) and you just can't mess with that much karma coming back.

Island Dog

on Dec 12, 2005

I was watching all the Hollywood liberal idiots defending this killer today. Hey liberals, you ever wonder why people don't like you.......STOP DEFENDING TERRORISTS AND MURDERERS.

MarcieMoo

on Dec 12, 2005

Have you ever seen "The Green Mile"?

I struggle with the death penalty, myself. I have a hard time dealing with the fact that a group of people who represent ME can choose to kill someone. I don't know if I could do it or not.

Anyway...back to the Green Mile--you know, when Percy is mocking one of the inmates after he's dead. And then Brutal comes up and tells Percy to leave him alone--because he's paid his dues and he's right with the "house" again. I have faith in our judicial system. It's not perfect, obviously, nothing made by the hands of man can be. But I think for the most part it does okay. Just because someone's changed doesn't mean that the crime can be gone back to and undone. Lots of people change in the face of death--they find religion, try to do the "right thing"--whatever that is, try to make the most of the time they have left. I don't care if people would call this man a saint now, after all of this. He was convicted by a jury of his peers and now he must pay the price for his actions.

So I have faith that tonight justice will be served.

bakerstreet

on Dec 13, 2005

I agree with marcie. The problem to me isn't the relatively few people we put to death in America, but the fact that the AVERAGE muderer in America spends about ten years in jail and is released. Maybe if we treated ALL the cases of murder as the most heinous crime you can commit, maybe we wouldn't need the death penalty, I don't know.

I think we need to focus on punishing the people who demand punishment. Maybe if murderers couldn't look forward to getting out so soon, maybe they wouldn't be anxious to RISK getting the death penalty.

Leauki

on Dec 13, 2005

STRES2:

Your caps-lock key is stuck.

Makes it very difficult to read your text.

Please press caps-lock once.

Thank you.

Gene Nash

on Dec 13, 2005

He's dead.

dharmagrl

on Dec 13, 2005

He's dead.

That he is.

STRES2:

Your caps-lock key is stuck.

Makes it very difficult to read your text.

Please press caps-lock once.

Thank you

I took the liberty of deleting. He made the same statement on another article, so I didn't see the need for more shouting on this thread too....so I deleted. If he/she/it doesn't like it, they can take it up with me. Personally.

Maybe if murderers couldn't look forward to getting out so soon, maybe they wouldn't be anxious to RISK getting the death penalty

That's my thinking too. Nowadays, when murders are sentenced to 25 - life and can reasonably expect to be out after 17 or so, I don't think there's any real deterrent anymore. I think that perhaps if the sentence for homicide was life, meaning you'll die behind bars, or death....meaning you'll still die behind bars, just a bit earlier...then maybe we'd see a drop in the homicide rates.

Then again, I think that we might see a rise in violent crime inside prisons - because they'll have nothing to lose. They're going to be there for the rest of their lives anyway...

because someone's changed doesn't mean that the crime can be gone back to and undone. Lots of people change in the face of death--they find religion, try to do the "right thing"--whatever that is, try to make the most of the time they have left. I don't care if people would call this man a saint now, after all of this. He was convicted by a jury of his peers and now he must pay the price for his actions.

BINGO! I don't care HOW much food he did, how changed he is....he killed 4 people, and for that he has to pay a price. He himself said that in prison he's 'peaceful'....but take away the prison atmosphere, and who knows?

I was watching all the Hollywood liberal idiots defending this killer today

Yeah, I know. The usual suspects were out in force complaining.

Is prision for reform? Is it just a holding patern?

I don't think that this thread is the right place to discuss that, but I'm hoping to have one going later today to talk about just that.

think they were fighting the Death penalty because hes a "changed man".

I think so too, but as I keep saying - it's easy to be changed and 'peaceful' when you're locked in a cell 20+ hours a day.

Dr Guy

on Dec 13, 2005

IF SOMETHING IS WORTH SAYING AGAIN THEN WHY CHANGE A WORD

"LET HIS LIFE CONTINUE THROUGH HIS WORDS"

Saying yes, shouting no. And I would suggest you check out his prison guards words as well. Your saint apparently does not have a halo after all.

ParaTed2k

on Dec 13, 2005

Let him be forgotten... completely, just like Stres and others have forgotten his victims.

How can writing a few books atone for the deaths, rapes and murders this scum inspired? Everyone abused, raped or killed by a member of the crips is a victim of the disease that was quarantined 20 years ago and exterminated this morning.

bakerstreet

on Dec 13, 2005

If there is a miscarraige of justice, it is that the family of the murdered has to wait 20+ years for closure, all the while seeing the killer write books and be nominated for a Nobel Prize.

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