Rally and Vigil to Protest the Death Penalty and Execution
of Stanley Tookie Williams

Monday, December 12, 2005, 8:30 PM

San Francisco City Hall, Polk Street steps; we will then
proceed by bus at 9PM to San Quentin Prison's East Gate, returning by
1AM
(space is limited; to reserve call 415-554-7630)

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Join Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi and Public Defender Jeff Adachi in a

Rally and Vigil Protesting the Death Penalty and Execution of

Stanley Tookie Williams


Get on the bus for an evening of solidarity with death-penalty
opponents at San Quentin Correctional Facility

SAN FRANCISCO - On Tuesday, December 13, 2005, just after midnight, the
State of California plans to execute Stanley Tookie Williams at San
Quentin prison. Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi and Public Defender Jeff
Adachi are calling for activists and death-penalty opponents to join
him
at a rally and vigil at San Quentin prison on Monday evening.

Stanley Tookie Williams, a cofounder of the Crips gang, was convicted
of murder and robbery in 1981 and given the death penalty. His
conviction was based on circumstantial evidence and he has maintained
his innocence. Williams has rehabilitated himself while in prison,
authoring 9 children's books and speaking out against gang life. He's
been nominated for the Nobel Prize for Literature and several times for
the Nobel Peace Prize.

"I am firmly against the death penalty in all cases as it is not a
deterrent and does not represent well how a civil society should act.
But if the State of California continues to allow sentences of death,
the least we can do is make sure that no innocent people are executed
and that rehabilitated prisoners be given life without the possibility
of parole. Mr. Williams is of great value to our society doing what
he's
been doing--reaching out to young people and teaching them his
hard-learned lessons", said Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi.

Senator Carole Migden added: "Today the Governor told us there is no
room for forgiveness, reform or redemption in our legal system.
Stanley
Tookie Williams turned himself around like few others, so now what
incentive is there for other condemned criminals to follow in his
footsteps?"