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Images Outside San Quentin While Stanley Tookie Williams Was Murdered
A hero to many in his community, the author of many acclaimed children's books and being nominated for the Nobel Peace price meant nothing tonight as the state of California snuffed out the voice and life of Stanley Tookie Williams.
ANSWER statement:
Why we stand against the death penalty ...
So-called "justice" in the U.S. is far from being unbiased. Virtually all death row inmates are poor people. Those who can afford a good lawyer almost never end up on death row. There are no millionaires on death row.
Study after study shows that racism is a dominant factor in who gets death sentences. People of color, African Americans in particular, are greatly over-represented on death row, as they are in all levels of the criminal justice system. Since the death penalty was reinstated in the 1980's, 40% of those executed have been African American. Prior to that, over 50% were African American. While African Americans are six times more likely to be murdered in California than whites, when the victim of a homicide is white, the perpetrator is at least four times more likely to get the death penalty than if the victim is a person of color.
A small but important step toward true justice is the demand for a moratorium on the death penalty. Every time the state tries to execute another prisoner we must raise this demand.
Why we stand against the death penalty ...
So-called "justice" in the U.S. is far from being unbiased. Virtually all death row inmates are poor people. Those who can afford a good lawyer almost never end up on death row. There are no millionaires on death row.
Study after study shows that racism is a dominant factor in who gets death sentences. People of color, African Americans in particular, are greatly over-represented on death row, as they are in all levels of the criminal justice system. Since the death penalty was reinstated in the 1980's, 40% of those executed have been African American. Prior to that, over 50% were African American. While African Americans are six times more likely to be murdered in California than whites, when the victim of a homicide is white, the perpetrator is at least four times more likely to get the death penalty than if the victim is a person of color.
A small but important step toward true justice is the demand for a moratorium on the death penalty. Every time the state tries to execute another prisoner we must raise this demand.
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For the last month I have been doing alot of reading on the death penalty "Here and aborad". I have read about the executions conducted in this country, and I came across a book that showed some of the "So called Justice being servred" Photos of lynchings. With most of the victims being black, it was some that were white. In most of the cases the good citizens of the towns and counties were convinced that the person or persons that was presented to them was the right suspect. I know in my heart that they had to be some people that knew they might be killing an innocent person, but "Somebodys got to pay" I see now that America hasen't changed that much. The faces that were so bold to stand next to the lynched men and women and pose for pictures are now letting the system to do it for them. It made me sick to hear Arnold Schwarzenegger "The Terminator" reasons for not granting Tookie Williams Clemency. " Tookie’s not remorseful for the killings" Duh! He been saying that he did not commit the crimes. Why would you be remorseful for something you did not do. "Tookie hasen't changed" Did he know the man 25 years ago. Did he speak with him when you were deciding weather he should live or die? NO! Just took the politician way out. " He's going to feel like crap when he doesn't win the next election".
Im not saying that I belive that Tookie did or did not do it. Just seems that some Americans wanted some blood. " Crongrads you got it this morning" Most peolpe dont even know the real about the case, on how the strongest evidence against Williams was from the shotgun shell at the scene.
"Only one shotgun shell was found at the motel. It ostensibly came from a shotgun purchased legally five years before by Mr. Williams, but the gun itself was actually found under the bed of informants James Garrett and his wife Ester. The Browning shotgun shell was sold at only two local stores, one of which, a Big Five, had been robbed of guns and ammunition by Mr. Garrett the year before." The Garretts were both being investigated for the murder of their crime partner, Gregory Wilbon. (A BLACK MAN) This investigation was dropped, according to Atty. Wefald, after they testified that Mr. Williams "volunteered" a confession to them. "Another informant also claimed that Stanley Williams had "volunteered" a confession to him—but only after a police officer had left the police file on Mr. Williams overnight in the informant's cell for him to read before he testified the next day, according to Atty. Wefald." You see these people if were acting on the behalf of the defence would have been discreited because of their backgrounds. But not in this case. In my readings I also found out that nations like the U. K. stoped executions because in 1965 they hung a man and found out later that he was innocent. Give them props. I dont think that America will ever admit to that. When we do end the Death Penalty." And I belive in my Heart we Will" We will use the reasoning of cruel and unusual Punishment. Never admitting that we have sent many a innocent people to their deaths. America the greatest Nation on the planet.
Oh yeah other countrys that execute people as much as we do.
China, Singapore, Vietnam and Iran. IRAN I think we are over there showing them a better way of life".
Im not saying that I belive that Tookie did or did not do it. Just seems that some Americans wanted some blood. " Crongrads you got it this morning" Most peolpe dont even know the real about the case, on how the strongest evidence against Williams was from the shotgun shell at the scene.
"Only one shotgun shell was found at the motel. It ostensibly came from a shotgun purchased legally five years before by Mr. Williams, but the gun itself was actually found under the bed of informants James Garrett and his wife Ester. The Browning shotgun shell was sold at only two local stores, one of which, a Big Five, had been robbed of guns and ammunition by Mr. Garrett the year before." The Garretts were both being investigated for the murder of their crime partner, Gregory Wilbon. (A BLACK MAN) This investigation was dropped, according to Atty. Wefald, after they testified that Mr. Williams "volunteered" a confession to them. "Another informant also claimed that Stanley Williams had "volunteered" a confession to him—but only after a police officer had left the police file on Mr. Williams overnight in the informant's cell for him to read before he testified the next day, according to Atty. Wefald." You see these people if were acting on the behalf of the defence would have been discreited because of their backgrounds. But not in this case. In my readings I also found out that nations like the U. K. stoped executions because in 1965 they hung a man and found out later that he was innocent. Give them props. I dont think that America will ever admit to that. When we do end the Death Penalty." And I belive in my Heart we Will" We will use the reasoning of cruel and unusual Punishment. Never admitting that we have sent many a innocent people to their deaths. America the greatest Nation on the planet.
Oh yeah other countrys that execute people as much as we do.
China, Singapore, Vietnam and Iran. IRAN I think we are over there showing them a better way of life".
Did Stan 'Tookie' Williams deserve his fate? I don't know.
Was he a founder of the Crips? Yes.
Was he a criminal? Yes.
Was he a murderer? The courts' thought so, and as capital punishment is legal in California, they were within their rights to sentence a murderer to death.
Murderer's all know the possible punishment for their crime, yet they still kill. This, in my opinion, is a risk they knowingly take when commiting murder, and some have paid the ultimate price, after spending several years on Death Row.
I agree Tookie's case was an unusual one, and perhaps he did indeed find 'redemption' whilst in solitary confinement, his childrens' books, and various other good-doings are, at the very least, deeds which should be admired and respected.
Not many of us can boast about being nominated for several Nobel peace prizes.
No doubt, some of you may see these acts as no more than an attempt by a condemned man to save his life; well if that's all he was doing, he still managed to touch the hearts of many children, and perhaps persuade them to not follow in his damned footsteps.
I believe Tookie WAS a gang-banger, and probably DID commit muder, however I also believe he had done enough good, that warrented a reduction of his death sentence to life imprisonment.
It's times like this that make me thankful I do not live in the USA, a so-called civilised country, that has the death penalty.
Was he a founder of the Crips? Yes.
Was he a criminal? Yes.
Was he a murderer? The courts' thought so, and as capital punishment is legal in California, they were within their rights to sentence a murderer to death.
Murderer's all know the possible punishment for their crime, yet they still kill. This, in my opinion, is a risk they knowingly take when commiting murder, and some have paid the ultimate price, after spending several years on Death Row.
I agree Tookie's case was an unusual one, and perhaps he did indeed find 'redemption' whilst in solitary confinement, his childrens' books, and various other good-doings are, at the very least, deeds which should be admired and respected.
Not many of us can boast about being nominated for several Nobel peace prizes.
No doubt, some of you may see these acts as no more than an attempt by a condemned man to save his life; well if that's all he was doing, he still managed to touch the hearts of many children, and perhaps persuade them to not follow in his damned footsteps.
I believe Tookie WAS a gang-banger, and probably DID commit muder, however I also believe he had done enough good, that warrented a reduction of his death sentence to life imprisonment.
It's times like this that make me thankful I do not live in the USA, a so-called civilised country, that has the death penalty.
During a recent meeting of the European Union's full assembly, European Parliament president Josep Borrell called on the 76 countries around the world that continue to retain the death penalty to discontinue use of capital punishment. He noted that the United States is the only democratic state that makes "widespread use" of the death penalty and that the European Union has a duty to convince Americans to end the practice.
I don't believe that, "Williams," was innocent, He made some terrible mistakes; but the truth is who hasn't?
If murder is wrong, why does this country continue to put people on death row?
Why are we in a war right now, fighting over oil and gasoline?
Saddam Hussein is still alive; and he murdered thousands...
The in-justice is ridiculous!
Saddam Hussein hearings: a show trial orchestrated in Washington
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For more information:
http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/
To kill some one for killing some one does that relly make seance ? So some body kills so I will kill you back ?
By the state to do this is just saying that killing and valance is ok .
And in a way killing and murder is in perty much every fiber in this country , the media movies TV a lot of things so who is right and who is wrong ?
By the state to do this is just saying that killing and valance is ok .
And in a way killing and murder is in perty much every fiber in this country , the media movies TV a lot of things so who is right and who is wrong ?
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