Posted on 12/09/2005 3:38:26 PM PST by Main Street
LOS ANGELES -- Four Los Angeles City Council members called for calm Friday as Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger considers whether to grant clemency to Crips co-founder and death row inmate Stanley "Tookie" Williams.
Images: Hearing | Images: Exhibits Displayed Images: Rallies | Video: Defense Urges Clemency
With less than four days to go before Williams' scheduled Tuesday execution, sporadic-yet-credible threats of civil unrest have prompted the council members and representatives from the city and county human relations commissions to ask religious leaders to emphasize a message of peace during weekend services.
"We picked up information that led us to believe that there were some planned and intentioned acts of violence that could occur in the wake of the decision or the execution planned for Stan "Tookie" Williams," Robin Toma, executive director of the Los Angeles County Human Relations Commission, said during a news conference at City Hall.
Toma declined to list the affected communities or elaborate on the threats.
Councilman Bernard Parks said he spoke earlier today about potential civil unrest with Los Angeles Police Department Deputy Chief Earl Paysinger of the South Bureau.
Parks said Paysinger assured him the LAPD would remain "vigilant" this weekend, but there was no immediate need to put the city on tactical alert.
"All you need is a few to disrupt the entire city," Parks said, referring to the events that led to the 1992 riots. "You don't need large numbers of people to start a problem."
Parks, along with council members Jan Perry, Herb Wesson and Bill Rosendahl, said they are asking religious leaders to deliver a message of peace in the days leading up to Williams' scheduled lethal injection execution at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday at San Quentin Prison.
"Regardless of your personal views on Mr. Williams' situation, I believe we all share a desire to ensure that people find outlets in which they can respectfully and positively voice their opinions," Perry said. "I believe that our religious institutions provide guidance and leadership to thousands in our community, and it is times like these that we must turn to each other for support."
Williams, now 51, was sentenced to death in 1981 after he was found guilty of murdering four people during two separate robberies two years earlier.
Williams has maintained his innocence.
Attorneys for Williams and the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office each delivered 30 minutes of arguments to the governor yesterday, with prosecutors insisting that Williams deserved to die for the slayings and defense lawyers arguing that he has renounced gang violence.
The governor could issue a decision at any time.
If granted clemency, Williams would serve life in prison without parole.
In California, only the governor has the authority to commute a death sentence to life in prison. Ronald Reagan was the last California governor to grant clemency in 1967.
If clemency is denied, Parks said he will ask religious leaders to open their churches and synagogues for community discussions.
Rosendahl added: "I'm standing here as a white guy that represents the 11th District who realizes it impacts all of us, we're all in this dialogue together. In my district, black and white and brown and Asian together are mixing and discussing this issue. It's of great concern to all of us."
The Crips street gang, founded in 1971 in South Central Los Angeles, went on to become one of the most violent and widespread in the United States.
Family members of Williams' victims say he should be put to death for his actions.
But Williams's supporters say he has reformed because he spent much of the past 24 years writing children's books and teaching at-risk youth about the dangers of gangs. Supporters also have nominated him for Nobel prizes, for peace and in literature.
"For those who believe in redemption, they should remember that for the past 13 years, Mr. Williams has been talking about peace, not violence," Councilman Herb Wesson said. "I think the biggest tribute they could pay to him is to ensure that whatever happens ... they should be respectful to how he lived his life for the last 13 years."
Since being condemned to death, Williams has renounced his gang past, been the subject of a cable TV movie called "Redemption" starring Jamie Foxx. He was nominated in 2000 for a Nobel Peace Prize by Swiss Parliament member Mario Fehr for the anti-gang work he has done from his 9-by-4-foot cell.
Calls for clemency have been mounting from religious and community leaders and celebrities such as Foxx, the rapper Snoop Dogg, actor Mike Farrell and activist Bianca Jagger.
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People President Bruce Gordon also supports clemency, calling Williams "our secret weapon to help young African-Americans avoid gangs."
yep.... Merry Christmas... Maybe this time they'll burn the whole city down. Good Riddance.
I'm just fed up with all of it. Bunch of parasites.. Crips, Bloods, Latin Kings, Aryan nation, Muslims, Liberals,...the whole lot can go and probably will go straight to h#ll.
The problem is that when they burn down the city, I'm going to have to pay for them to go to the ER, get patched up and continue... I'll have to pay for them to "reinvigorate" their blighted community. After we're all made to apologize for causing poor little Tookie to resort to gang violence, father children out of wed lock, push drugs and prostitutes and of course not give him a chance... it's all the "man's" fault. Let's have another congressional hearing where the government nipple people roll out of bed and tell us how hard they have it. We're the only country in the world with FAT poor people, with cable television and cell phones.
How 'bout this ... burn baby, burn. then just kiss my a@#. bunch of miscreants.
You forgot that Maria is calling the shots and that he's highly confused.
Yeah, and look at all the trouble Rodney king has been in since all that mess. They were set to riot if OJ was found guilty, too...
I'm afraid that he is going to give in to the pressure. The guy has had plenty of years of appeals. His time is up.
The black community leaders that supports this one guy have also had plenty of time to help end some of the gang activity and help youth at risk; instead they spend all of their time crying its all about race and discrimination. Sharpton and JJ is out scaming people.
The rappers have been promoting crime with their songs for years. Tookie supporters claim that if even if they save one life its worth saving his, next will be an appeal to get him released.
Don't worry people, kookie tookie will be calm when he assumes room temperature.
Yes, and another was arrested two weeks ago for raping a woman in San Bernardino.
If shame stopped community leaders this would still be the America I grew up in.
" ... the tradition in South Central is to hit the streets only during warmer weather."
that was my first thought .. the King riots were in May when it's nice and warm... don't picture similar rioting in December
Will "looter guy" join in?
I'm disgusted the Tookie was giving 'inspirational' talks on college campuses by video hook up from prison. What's up with that? or should I ask what's up with all this liberal death row crap.
The threat for executing a murderer, given years of appeals, is rioting? What next, rioting for more welfare money, than free housing, than cars, TVs......sorry, we already do that.
(snip) Parks said he will ask religious leaders to open their churches and synagogues for community discussions.
Good idea. Everyone knows how crazy those Jewish people are going to get if Tookie is not granted clemency...
"Yes, and another was arrested two weeks ago for raping a woman in San Bernardino"
Actually, it was a 13 year old girl...
We can only hope.
You answered your own questions. California Liberals. LA City council is claiming people are planning riots if Arnold does not pardon the killer/
The only people making alot of noise (kill tookie hour) are John and Ken - KFI640 Radio. Devote an hour in support of the death penalty. I am afraid that California is hopeless. Can't wait to move out of state in a few years.
If Tookie is so influential a peacemaker why can't he "urge" peace in the event of his execution and have the gangsters abide by his request?
You mean to tell me he was a liar too? Ok Ive just dropped my riot brick. SMOKE THE TOOKIE!
His son "Little Tookie" is serving in San Quentin for the murder of a 20 year old woman. His other son Lafayette is a registered sex offender arrested again not too long ago for holding a 13 year old girl captive and raping her.
Lovely family.
LOL! I was shocked I tell you...shocked.
Gee! I wonder why they'd have to ask for calm! Hmmm...
And who, pray tell, are they referring to!
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