Posted on 12/14/2005 9:48:21 AM PST by doug from upland
World News
Supporters of executed man want ‘statesman’s’ funeral
By The Associated Press
Dec 14, 2005, 00:07
SAN FRANCISCO — The argument over whether convicted killer Stanley (Tookie) Williams was a man of peace or a death-row con artist raged on after his execution Tuesday, with supporters announcing they would give him a funeral “befitting a statesman.”
The 51-year-old founder of the bloody Crips gang died by injection at San Quentin Prison just after midnight for the murders of four people in two 1979 holdups, professing his innocence to the very end, even when an admission of guilt might have helped save his life. His last, best hope was an act of mercy by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. But the governor was unconvinced by Williams’ supporters, several Hollywood stars among them, who argued that he had redeemed himself behind bars with memoirs, children’s books and lectures against the dangers of gang life.
After the execution, Williams’ supporters vowed to continue his work to discourage youngsters from following in his footsteps, and promised another book from writings he left behind.
“If they think they succeeded by killing him in getting people to forget about him, they have done just the opposite,” said Barbara Becnel, his collaborator and most vocal supporter.
Williams declined to make a final statement as he went to his death.
He seemed frustrated by the time it took officials to insert the intravenous lines into the former bodybuilder’s muscular arms. At one point, Williams uttered something to the nurse and offered to help, said Steve Ornoski, the warden. About 15 minutes after the process began, he appeared to ask: “You doing that right?”
Williams refused a sedative, said Becnel, one of the witnesses. She said he was “brave and strong and he was everything we believed him to be.”
Other witnesses included Rudy Langlais, executive producer of Redemption: The Stanley Tookie Williams Story, a TV movie starring Jamie Foxx.
Joan Baez, who sang Swing Low, Sweet Chariot outside the prison, called the execution “planned, efficient, calculated, antiseptic, cold-blooded murder.”
People in Hell want ice water too.
Bury - or cremate - him inside San Quentin and be done with it.
Why would he need or be offered a sedative for a painless process?
“If they think they succeeded by killing him in getting people to forget about him, they have done just the opposite,” said Barbara Becnel, his collaborator and most vocal supporter."
Tookie who???
"Joan Baez, who sang Swing Low, Sweet Chariot outside the prison, called the execution “planned, efficient, calculated, antiseptic, cold-blooded murder."
Joan, we know your thinking is addled, but murder is when you intentionally kill some innocent person for your own selfish reasons. Murder is what Williams did to four people. You have demonstrated that you don't know what you're talking about.
If he wanted to be buried like a statesman, he should have been Zimbabwean.
(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.")
Hitler was a statesman.
God, Joan Baez is crazier than the proverbial bedbug.
Did she sing "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" for the victims of Tookie's rage? Course not. She loves killers and hates their victims.
What a putz.
How about just dumping him in a land fill?
For the nerves, I'd guess. I have no issue with his execution, but it's got to be scary as hell to walk into a room where you're going to be killed.
Anybody seen any good source material on his 'redeemed' behavior in prison? I have heard stories which suggest that he terrorized his fellow inmates and that the staff was relieved to be rid of him.
Because anyone facing execution would be extremely nervous. Don't you think so?
Like they did for his victims. /sarcasm
Maybe Idi Amin will adopt him
Let the dead bury their own dead. Matthew 8:22.
I think that 'ol Idi is at room temperature.
They had better not finagle one dime of taxpayer dollars for this. Hope John and Ken and Zig are on the lookout for any such chicanery.
He was put in isolation for a while after he threw cleaning chemicals in a guard's face.
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