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December 01, 2005

They Might Be "Stars"

...but how bright is in question. Continuing the "Monsters" theme from earlier...

Stars rally around Stanley Tookie Williams

I was reminded of a favorite scene on convenient repentence vs retribution by Sharon's post.

Montoya: "Give me everything I ask for!"

The Six Fingered Count: "Yes! Yes! Anything you want!"

Montoya: "I want my father back, you son of a bitch!"

Posted by tree hugging sister at December 1, 2005 03:13 PM

Comments

"My name is Inigo Montoya. You kill my father. Prepare to die."

Somebody had to write it.

Posted by: Emily at December 1, 2005 03:23 PM

And he wasn't left handed.

Posted by: tree hugging sister at December 1, 2005 03:25 PM

Thank you for the trackback!!!

Y'all rock!

Posted by: Sharon Ferguson at December 1, 2005 03:51 PM

I'm actually somewhat torn on this one. It's the first case I've ever seen that looks like it could be a genuine conversion, with actual good works to go with it.

Y'all know I'm normally the first to want to throw the switch, but I would not be terribly unhappy if his sentence were converted to life without parole and he continued doing what he's been doing.

Posted by: Ken Summers at December 1, 2005 06:58 PM

This is true, Ken. As such, I would hope that the converted person in question accept the just punishment of a jury of his peers, and serve. If he dies with a clean soul he goes to God, and what's there to complain about from his point of view?

Posted by: Nightfly at December 1, 2005 10:06 PM

Not a thing, Fly. But I am amenable to the idea that, while justice demands death, the best course (to help the most people) might be to commute.

Suffice to say that this is the first case I've ever seen, aside from a wrongful conviction, in which I would even entertain the idea.

Posted by: Ken Summers at December 1, 2005 11:32 PM

Hmmm, box of worms. While an ardent advocate of using the death penalty ONLY sparingly and ONLY with incontrovertible evidence, my tree hugging heart is jaded enough to be suspicious of jailhouse conversions. I mean, what else do you have to do? Now, if someone has spent their time doing good works to atone while on the outside and eventually gets caught, that's sincerity. But it's all too easy to be a cause celebre when your options are limited. (And bad on you if you're in the big house and not trying to make yourself and things in general better.) The other thing that bugs me is how many people have died and are on death row because of the monstrous organization he 'founded'? That's sort of the gift that keeps on giving, huh?

Posted by: tree hugging sister at December 2, 2005 10:01 AM

Im suspicious too...if only for the fact that I would think that Tookie would demonstrate his conversion by helping law enforcement to fight against the gangs...but there has been rumor around on the net that he still runs the Crips from his jailcell...I would guess he is still surrounded by people who watch him and report to the others. Even so, people still think writing a book is a "hard" experience...it is not. For all I know, his books could have been ghost-written. It still doesnt prove that he has had a change of heart. To me the real conversion would be in his realization just how his actions have affected everyone else.

More than that, he went through due process. I could understand wanting to go through another trial if the evidence against him was uncertain. But the jury ruled without a doubt and voted the punishment as it had been lined out in California law. This is more than victims of violent crimes ever get. He got his version of justice. Now its time for the murder victims to get his.

I think in our country, we are cautious enough to know when and why to apply the death penalty. I agree : it should never be given out flippantly or wholesale. But when it is given out, it should be carried through. The reason I woudl fight against death penalty is if it had been awarded to me, and then, it wouldnt be a matter of being afraid of dying. It would be a matter of being afraid of what I'd find on the other side. Criminals like Tookie have never developed the spirituality it would take to consider that. I believe in conversions, but a slew of books, and a nomination for a dubious prize is not something that will stave off final judgement.

You know, I guess it doesnt matter if he gets put to death or not. Teh very fact that it seems to me that he doesnt repent for his life tells me he faces a far worse sentence than we could ever give him.

I just hope God is merciful to me.

Posted by: Sharon Ferguson at December 2, 2005 04:23 PM

Not sure how repentant Tookie can be when he claims he's innocent. The killings he undertook were brutal and merciless, and his founding of the Crips has wrought an incredible amount of damage on our country (I used to do pro bono defense work with gangs, and I was astounded at how powerful and how military-like the Crips and Bloods were).

Posted by: TPB, Esq. at December 3, 2005 12:57 PM

A warm Swill welcome, TPB!! I read your comment and then, in one of those weird coincidences, watched a 60 Minutes report Sunday on the very same thing. Though it wasn't the Crips, I believe the points made were their organization and hierarchy are very clearly delineated and woe unto he who moves out of the system once they've been in.

Posted by: tree hugging sister at December 5, 2005 03:06 PM