[Tookie] Williams' fate now up to governor-State prepares for possible violence if execution occurs

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 12/9/5 | Mark Martin

[SmithL]

Sacramento -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger spent more than an hour with lawyers for Stanley Tookie Williams and prosecutors pushing for his death sentence Thursday, hearing final arguments before he makes a decision on Williams' bid to avoid lethal injection.

Schwarzenegger now has fewer than four days to weigh Williams' past as a convicted four-time murderer and gang leader against his present work as an anti-gang crusader. Williams, who has written eight children's books from his Death Row cell, is pleading for clemency based on his value as "a unique voice'' against street violence, one of his attorneys said.

The hearing, in which both sides made their case to Schwarzenegger and four lawyers who work for the governor, took place in private. The governor was handed a letter from Williams during the meeting.

Schwarzenegger made no public appearances Thursday, and while attorneys held press conferences in front of more than 25 television cameras and dozens of reporters, no one would divulge details of the meeting held in the Ronald Reagan Cabinet Room inside the governor's suite of Capitol offices.

Williams' case has received worldwide attention and his notoriety and scheduled execution at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday has California prison officials preparing for potential violence inside facilities. Celebrities have been drawn to Williams' cause -- he met privately with rapper Snoop Dogg Wednesday and with actor Jamie Foxx Thursday at San Quentin State Prison.

In the Capitol, a deputy district attorney from Los Angeles made the case against clemency, declaring that Williams was guilty of "extremely brutal crimes against people who were defenseless.''

"Very simply, in our opinion, there are certain murders -- not every murder -- where an individual's conduct is just so abhorrent, where the crime is so brutal, it simply justifies the ultimate punishment,''

[SmithL]

Tookie Delenda Est!

[HamiltonJay]

The people riot if a pig like this is executed.... ah, anti death penalty activists resorting to violence.... got to love the reality of the "peaceful" left.

[samtheman]

I feel a Great Wavering coming on, issuing forth from Arnold, shaking the ground beneath our feet.

[vimto]

I really get the impression that (perversely) some people would secretly like Tookie to die so that there will be race riots and America can be Pariah's in the Liberal/left press. Just a thought.

[RambozoDClown]

C ommunity R evolution I n P ostponement

[mewzilla]

In a recent column by Stanley Crouch, Crouch stated that 10,000 people have been killed by gang-related violence since 1980.

And that's just in LA.

Sounds to me like they've already got violence.

[harpu]

AND, Arnold should prepare for a career ending wrath if the execution does not occur!

[IronJack]

Arnold's at the mirror right now, trying to figure out how he can be a jellyfish and not look like a jellyfish.

[kylaka]

Arnold's going to punt, and just kick the can down the road a bit. Tookie will die a natural death after 50 years on death row.

[johnny7]

I was thinking that at first... but I've since learned that Arnold HAS denied clemency for others. I have more confidence that he'll let justice take its course.

[joebuck]

Arnolds a bright guy so I hope he's smart enough to figure out the people crusading for Tookie would never vote for him regardless of whether he grants clemency. So please don't think granting clemency will provide any politial bonus. It would only alienate the people who fought hardest for him in the last election.

[guinness4strength]

Arnold is looking at his "What Would Jesus Do" bracelet.

[Modok]

Is he dead yet?

[samtheman]

I predict a Great Wavering on this one. I hope I'm wrong. This scum-bag deserves to be executed, then revived then executed again. And Arnold knows that. No doubt about it. But Arnold is deeply shaken by his recent defeats. Under the stress of those loses, I think he's about to make a big political and moral mistake. In the mistaken belief that he can placate the leftist hordes who trample his state.

[LRS]

...California prison officials preparing for potential violence inside facilities...

Dear Arnold:

Remember that scene in the first Terminator when the Terminator said "I'll be back", and proceeded to slaughter all the cops in the precinct? Well, it's time to re-shoot the scene, except this time you get to do society a favor by terminating rioting scum in prison.

Sincerely,

Your New Wannabe Director

[goldstategop]

I agree - murder is the ultimate crime and if this murderer is not deserving of death, then no murderer can ever be put to death.

(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie.Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")

[Mike Darancette]

Tookie says he didn't do it and refuses to apologize to the victim's families. That probably makes him a liar and a murderer and deserving of his sentence.

[NCC-1701]

"..."Very simply, in our opinion, there are certain murders -- not every murder -- where an individual's conduct is just so abhorrent, where the crime is so brutal, it simply justifies the ultimate punishment,''..."

Sounds like this should apply to abortionists.

[HawaiianGecko]

 

I can't imagine the Governor letting this guy live. He gains absolutely nothing by commuting his sentence (Mike Farrel and Ed Asner will never vote for him anyway), and will lose the remainder of the state. Remember that California, although being a haven of leftist buffoons, is highly in favor of the death penalty and one of the states to suffer the most from gang activity over the last generation.

[byteback]

Arnold weighing if he can win the Republican primary if he pardons Tookie. He can't.