Posted on 12/13/2005 7:44:47 AM PST by SmithL
THE MOST DIFFICULT DECISION a governor ever has to make is whether to grant clemency to a condemned convict. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger made such a decision on Monday. He made the right call when he refused to spare the life of Stanley "Tookie" Williams.
We do not say that blithely. Frankly, we cannot imagine having to make such a call. But we also cannot conceive of telling the family members of the dead that Williams had somehow redeemed himself by writing some children's books.
Williams' case became national news because while in prison he has worked to steer children away from street gangs. Those calling for clemency have argued that he has been transformed and that he will do more good for society if he is left alive.
While we understand that point of view, we have long been skeptical of death-row conversions. Those conversions may well be genuine and heartfelt, but they simply do not atone for the crimes committed.
Williams, who was a co-founder of a vicious street gang called the Crips, was convicted of killing four people in two separate 1979 holdups. There is no evidence presented in the case to indicate he did not do the crimes.
We agree with Schwarzenegger when he wrote, "Is Williams' redemption complete and sincere, or is it just a hollow promise? Without an apology and atonement for these senseless and brutal killings, there can be no redemption."
Schwarzenegger could have commuted the death sentence to life in prison without parole.
Even the traditionally liberal 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected Williams' plea for a stay of execution, saying that there had been no new evidence presented as to cast doubt about his guilt.
It was a tough call, but Schwarzenegger did the right thing in refusing to grant clemency to Williams.
Tookie never apologized or atoned for what he had done.
Instead he spent 20 plus years trying to game the system.
Here is the history of a mass murderer who actually repented of his crimes, and chose to atone for them.
His name was Steven Renfro.
Steven's parents separated shortly after he was born and his father lost touch with both the mother and son for about 35 years. Steven's grandmother located Steven and reconciled him with with his father.
Steven was raised by his aunt, Rose Rutledge, near Marshall, Texas. He went to high school with Rick Berry, a Harrison County district attorney who later prosecuted Steven.
On August 25, 1996, after taking what he later told authorities were 70 doses of the tranquilizer Valium along with liquor, Steven put on camouflage clothing, blackened his face and armed himself with four guns including a military assault rifle and some 500 rounds of ammunition.
He shot and killed his live-in girlfriend, Rhena Fultner, 36, then Aunt Rose Rutledge, 63, who lived with them. Then he went to a nearby trailer home of an acquaintance, George Counts, 40, against whom he had a grudge, and fatally shot him, firing more than 150 rounds into Counts' mobile home.
When police arrived, he opened fire again, wounding Marshall police officer Dominic Pondant in the shoulder and turning his patrol car "into Swiss cheese," as authorities described it. Police were out gunned by Steven's .45 and .50 caliber handguns and an AR-15 rifle, but one of his weapons malfunctioned and officer Pondant was able to hit Steven.
He was convicted the following April and ended his trail by telling jurors he should be put to death. They agreed.
He asked that no appeals be pursued. At his execution, he apologized to the family members of the victims and said a prayer.
He was executed on February 9, 1998, after spending the second shortest time on Texas' death row.
The media and Hollywood celebrities were conspicuous by their absence.
American Blacks better get with the program. Politically, they are going nowhere. This animal, Tookie Williams beefed up for 25 years on the idiot taxpayers of California. The NAACP, the Congressional Black Caucus, the Democrat "traitor/treason Party and the Hollywood scum better realize Americans have it with "Black" racism. The bottom line is that hurricane Katrina showed us the human vermin the Democrat party has delivered all over America, destroying hotel rooms, apartments, rental cars, robbing, raping, etc. Fact is: Blacks, themselves have made themselves passe by living in their Democrat created welfare society. Hispanics and Asians are where it at!!! The sooner Blacks dump their current leadership and the Democrat Party, the better off they will be. Otherwise, like, "their boy" "Brother Tookie", they are going nowhere fast. Tookie, the murderering animal. tonight is sleeping with the fishes, than God!!!
Only two years to execute somebody? Geez, if only we had that in california... Just watch, even that freakshow scott peterson will have his death penalty yanked by some judge along the line.
(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.")
and if anyone had any doubts about the guilt of Williams and/or of his record in prison here it is for all to read on the L.A. county DA's website.
http://da.co.la.ca.us/pdf/swilliams.pdf
I wish more editors thought this way.
Well, this american male black conservative republican is with the program. The--uh--Rev'run Thacksuuunnnnn is a stench to my nose. There's only one Rev. Jesse worth an audience from me, and his last name is Peterson.
MY role models are people like Mae Jamison, not Jamie Foxx. Charles Drew, not Charles Barkley. Thomas Sowell, not Leo Terrell. Mike Reagan, not Mike Farrell. Barbara Bush, not Barbara Becnel (or however the hell you spell her name). Not all black, not all white...but people with character.
My best "strategery" to deal with the "black leaders" is to apply this quote from St. Augustine: "Hope has two sisters, Anger and Courage. Anger, at the way things are; Courage, to change them."
My somewhat liberal son made a comment that he wished that the sentence had been commuted to life in prison. He then quoted Bill O'Reily on the subject which shows he's at least listening to someone other than the hard left. He then, however, quoted one of his best friends whose brother was murdered and who is in favor of the death penalty. My concern is that in California, they might elect some wacky (wackier) governor who would start pardening these psychopaths.
My friend, you are headed in the right direction. I work with so many fine Black folks. It breaks my heart to see what current Black leaders and the Democrat Party have done to millions of Black folk by binding them into the economic slavery of the welfare state. Blacks are really true Americans, and should be taking advantage of this great society they could so easily and effectively assimilate into. My fear is, the Democrats have poisoned them so badly, they can't find their way to freedom and opportunity. If change is not brought about in Black political thought and loyalty, the majority of Blacks will wilt on the vine, as the freedom and opportunity train leaves the station with other more enlightened minorities on board, heading for the American dream.
Seems they've removed the page.
Seems they've removed the page.
But...but...but...they found a witness that said he didn't do it!
"Seems they've removed the page."
yep, it's a dead issue...pun intended
"Seems they've removed the page."
guess what I ran across... :-]
http://da.co.la.ca.us/pdf/swilliams.pdf
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