Reply #58: What I found most telling

[Aretha]

Was the apparently valid (or at least unrefuted on DU) information posted by people who support the execution. All I heard before was how he was a good man who is doing all of these wonderful things for altruistic reasons. Now I know that the childrens' books that he has supposedly written has not been purchased or read by practically anyone and that he was still heavily involved in gang life and violent activity long after he entered prison. It seems that he started his reformation only as the date of his execution approached and his appeals ran out. I also understand that at some point he pretended to be mentally disabled as part of one of his appeals but suddenly got all better after that was rejected by the courts. I have no reason to believe that eh won't go back to being the thug that he was if he is no longer in danger of being executed or that his supporters, who have claimed that he is innocent, will not continue their pro-Tookie campaign, only now to get him released from prison (and, eventually, a governor might be elected who, after being lobbied by Tookie's celebrity supporters, will do just that).

Hopefully, this will all be over in a few days.